NOVA
by BitiumRibbon
Summary: [Escape Velocity: Nova] [Warning: Contains mild homoerotica and coarse language] Tells the story of a teenager from the Kane Band, Nova, and his escape from the brutal life he once knew. Some details do not adhere to the game.
1. Chapter 1: The Kane Band

**Updated as of Feb. 27, 2007 **

**Dedication:**To Guardian-381, my fan fiction kindred spirit, and to whatever fans I have.

**Disclaimer:**This story contains material of a mildly sexual nature between members of the same gender. If such content offends you or makes you uncomfortable, please refrain from reading.

Readers are also advised that while this story is based upon the game Escape Velocty: Nova created by Ambrosia Software and ATMOS, certain parts, in terms of continuity and detail, may not strictly adhere to those elements in said game. Thus, please guard an open mind regarding such continuity or detail issues while reading, and/or when reviewing.

* * *

**NOVA**

**Chapter 1 - The Kane Band **

* * *

**July 24th, 1177 NC, 9:37 p.m. **The small shuttle flew dutifully away from the space station Port Kane, of the Kania system. Port Kane was the only port in the system, alone but for the trading and merchant vessels that would sometimes stop by to buy or sell goods, or drop off cargo or the odd passenger. Very few travelers remained on Port Kane, however. Dangerously close to the outer rim of Federation territory, and only a week's journey from Polaris space. Not exactly a hot spot for tourism. 

The shuttle chugged off, edging away at sub-light speeds to put a safe distance between itself and the artificial gravity of the station. It couldn't enter hyperspace yet. Try and create a stable hyperspace field too close to the a planet or a spaceport, and it'll collapse right away. Any good pilot knew that.

Hell, _everybody _knew that.

But for the young man sitting in the makeshift passenger compartment of the old Sigma Shipyards A128 freighter, the novelty of space flight procedure had long since worn off. He'd traveled too many times to be impressed by routine. He sat in a corner of the large cargo bay atop a smooth, metal container carrying who-knew-what to who-knew-where. The boy didn't really care.

He brushed a lock of long, wavy brown hair off his forehead. Every so often he'd glance out the porthole, but there was nothing to see but endless space, the dead black punctuated by dots of white and yellow. From the ship's point of view, the massive Port Kane was now just a wink in the distance, identified only by the odd Terrapin freighter or Federation patrol ship passing through.

They'd be hitting the hyperspace engines soon. The boy stood, stretching his legs, rubbing a scratch on his arm tenderly. He'd have some lasting memories of Port Kane. Bad ones. He didn't look forward to the dreams he'd be having tonight.

He flipped his hair back out of his dark green eyes, a look of disgust passing momentarily across his face when he noticed how greasy his hair had gotten. When was the last time he washed it? How long had it been since he'd been able to take a shower?

He wiped his nose, glancing again out the porthole. They still hadn't gone to hyperspace. Good thing, too, he thought. On a little freighter this old, he didn't trust the inertial dampeners to stop him from being tossed all over the bay.

He wearily wandered to the back of the cargo bay and sat down, leaning against the wall and holding onto the strap of a nearby container. He may as well be ready, if this thing ever went to hyperspace. He sighed. He couldn't wait to be out of Kania. Stupid place. But then, nowadays, the Kane Band wasn't such a desirable spot, either.

The back of his head touched the cold metal wall behind him as he thought about it. Earth. The beating heart of the Federation. He pictured the white clouds covering the blue oceans and greenish-brown landscapes. He pictured the dull metal ring around the planet, and the support posts that kept it attached to the surface. The boy had seen pictures – no holo-images, but some really ancient satellite shots – of what the Earth had looked like without the Kane Band. It had looked like a regular planet. A normal planet. And now... it looked too damn important to be normal.

The youth felt a sudden surge behind him, from the engines, and he braced himself. The little craft was finally making the jump. About time, too. He glanced at the porthole, at the stars beginning to streak by as their speed increased. He closed his eyes, feeling the acceleration, knowing it would only be a few more seconds before they were in transit.

There was a flash, and the muffled sound of a sonic boom as the little ship crossed the barrier into hyperspace. The ship vibrated for a few seconds, and some of the cargo containers in the bay threatened to fall upon him, but thankfully they remained where they were. Soon the shaking stopped, the inertial dampeners finally kicked in, and the young man decided it was safe enough to stand.

He walked to the porthole, sighed. They'd be in transit to the Tichel system for a day or so, refuel on Viking, and then make another jump to the Sol system... and Earth. He snorted. He remembered when the ship's captain had discussed the itinerary. There were only a few ships still in service that could only do one jump at a time. Usually, those ships didn't bother going anywhere. They were sold for scrap metal.

Not this one, though.

He sighed. According to the shuttle's specifications, it should have been able to make three consecutive jumps without having to refuel. Then again, this one was so old and decrepit that the boy found himself thanking his lucky stars that they'd made it into hyperspace at all.

There was a sound behind him, but he didn't bother to look. He just stared out the porthole as the rusty metal door opened, and the captain entered. He wasn't really old, but he definitely wasn't young. Probably around forty-five, the boy thought. The man's hair, was mostly grey and wispy, though there were a few strands that still held their original black colour. He'd been drinking too much beer during his time on Port Kane; the boy could smell the alcohol on his breath from across the room. He hadn't shaved in a while, and his clothes were stained and worn.

The man took a few paces toward him. "We're in hyperspace now," he said gruffly. "We got a day 'til we get to Viking. Hope you're bloody happy."

The youth chuckled half-heartedly. "Thanks."

"Don't you be thankin' me yet, ya runt. The trip's only just started." He crossed his arms. "Hey, what'd you say your name was?"

The seventeen-year-old finally turned to look at the captain, fixing him with an icy stare. "I didn't."

"Well, out with it, then. Not polite to mooch a ride and not give your name."

The young man sighed. "Nova."

The captain smiled sarcastically, showing off a set of teeth that had long since been deprived of brushing. "There, now, that's better, ain't it?"

Nova turned back to the porthole. He pretended to be interested in the way the stars stretched out in long lines of light as the shuttle trudged through hyperspace. He remembered the name of the vessel now: the _Lucky Anchor_. That fit, he thought.

The captain cleared his throat audibly, and Nova looked at him again, as much as he disliked doing so. He'd been hoping to delay this part of the voyage as long as possible... perhaps indefinitely. _Yeah, right_,he thought_. There's a joke._

"Now, what about our agreement?" said the old man, hooking his thumbs into his belt loops. "You're not getting this ride for nothing, you know."

Nova knew. He didn't have a single credit within reach, which was why he'd been wandering around the docks on Port Kane aimlessly for the last three days. Without any money, it's hard to hitchhike. Today he'd found this man, who agreed to offer his services as a pilot in exchange for Nova's own as a member of a different trade.

A nastier trade, sometimes, he thought.

Nova closed his eyes momentarily, visualizing anything he could other than what he was about to do. _Desperate times call for desperate measures, _he reminded himself.

Already the man's hand was on his zipper. "Hop to it, boy. It's a long ride."

_Don't remind me, _Nova thought, as he walked over and sank to his knees.

* * *

**July 26th, 1177 NC, 5:42 p.m. **Nova walked down the boarding ramp of the _Lucky Anchor_, shivering as he met with the chilly air of the Kane Band spaceport. He didn't want to turn and look back at the interior of the ship, nor did he want to say anything more to its captain, who was standing at the top of the ramp. 

"Pleasure doing business with you," he had said before Nova disembarked. "A real... pleasure." He'd winked as Nova started down the ramp. He'd even grabbed the boy's rear as he started to descend. Now, he heard the boarding ramp begin to close, and he started away from the landing zone as quickly as possible. The old bastard would be refueling here before he left for the Alphara system, and Nova didn't want to run the risk of seeing him again.

Once he'd put enough space between him and the cursed ship, which would undoubtedly provide him with more nightmares, he glanced around again, heading in the direction of the bar. The Kane Band was a place he knew very well, and despite the fact he couldn't see the place behind all the crowds and their ships, he knew exactly where to go.

He shivered again. "Fuck," he said aloud. He hoped that some of his friends would be in the bar today. Well, not so much friends as colleagues, he admitted. They were all in the sex trade, and all worked for the same man, Dorgan Cosmo. Sometimes, the work paid well. Other times, you could barely afford to eat, if at all. And other times, Nova thought with a grimace, you could end up stuck for a month in Kania after being the wager in a bet.

He felt dubiously safer on the Kane Band, knowing that his colleagues wouldn't be far away. Cosmo always kept five or six around the spaceport, some in the darker corners and others checking the arriving ships for tourists. Tourists were always easy marks. And there were many foreigners, some of them from as far as Dunroamin, who'd heard about Cosmo's set-up on the Kane Band and wanted in.

He had to face facts: Cosmo and his boys were famous. Even the disgusting old captain of the _Lucky Anchor _had heard of them, which was how the teenager managed to secure a ride in the first place.

Sometimes Nova was amazed that the Feds hadn't been tipped off yet. Or maybe they had, and they just didn't care. That sounded like the Feds to him. They were too occupied with things on the Auroran border to worry about little problems like teenage prostitution.

And that suited Nova just fine.

He glanced again around the spaceport. It was busier than usual today. There were the usual masses of trading ships: Terrapins, Pegasus freighters, the odd Star Liner and even a Leviathan. There were some Starbridge fighters, a Thunderhead, and an old Asteroid Miner. Nova gazed longingly at a Starbridge. Sleek shape, high speed, tough and durable. He dreamed of one day saving up enough money to buy one.

But that'd be a long time from now.

Nova finally spotted the bar, Kane's Lubritorium, almost completely hidden behind an illegally parked Viper. He didn't mind. That meant less people in the bar. Nova didn't like crowds. He rounded the vehicle and pushed open the familiar swinging door, entering the musty atmosphere of one of the most notorious joints on the Kane Band.

Just as he'd thought, the place wasn't busy. Two Fed officials were talking to a man sitting on a stool at the counter. The owner of the Viper out front, he suspected. There was a stunning blonde woman in a booth in the corner looking disgustedly at a drunk who'd decided to try and win her heart. _Good luck, _thought Nova. He'd seen her before, and he'd also seen what happened when someone tried to flirt with her.

He finally spotted some of Cosmo's boys sitting at a small booth near the door. There were three of them, of which Nova only recognized two, which was odd; he'd thought he had known every face in the bunch. But then again, he _had _been gone for a month.

He walked over and sat down, getting waves from the two boys he knew and a narrow-eyed analysis from the one he didn't. Sitting beside him, to his right, was a short, dark boy named Jared. He was a popular one among Cosmo's customers, and it was obvious why. He was very well built, boasting sizeable muscles for a fifteen-year-old, but still maintained a cute, young look.

The other boy that Nova knew, sitting across from him, was an eighteen-year-old named Sven. Originally from Sirius Prime, if he remembered correctly. He had a disorganized mop of dark red hair and a scar above his left eye that Nova didn't remember him having. He was wearing a sleeveless vest with no shirt underneath, showing off his chest.

The other boy, as Nova had thought, was new, and he looked very young. He sat in the corner of the booth, opposite Jared, and sipped nervously from his glass of Band Brand cola. His blond hair was cut very short, except for his bangs, which hung down in front of his brown eyes. He wore a tight-fitting t-shirt and a timid frown.

"So," said Jared, taking a drink from his beer, "how was Port Kane?"

"Ah, fuck," said Nova, putting his forehead in his palm. "Don't ask me about Port Kane."

Jared chuckled. "The way you talk, sounds like you been to hell and back. What took you so long, anyway? You were supposed to be back two days ago. Dorgan was flipping out. Said he wanted you at the Office, soon as you got back."

"Yeah, well, Dorgan can shove it. Next time he wants to gamble on the fucking Viper races, he can use someone else's ass." He waved at the bartender, who nodded and began to prepare a drink.

"Shit, Nova," said Sven. "When they can get yours, nobody _wants _our asses."

"Dorgan can still shove it." He sighed. "If you really want to know, the cheap old bastard on Port Kane tossed me out after the month was up. Had to hitchhike to get back here. And that wasn't pleasant, neither."

The bartender presently appeared with Nova's drink, flat and warm as usual. "We ain't seen you much around here, lately," he said to the boy. "What you been doing?"

"Cosmo lost a bet," he replied, taking a sip of his beer. "Been out in Kania for a month."

The man sighed. "Damn. Well, I hear Cosmo got some guy out here a couple of days ago, askin' your price. He was offerin' quite a bit, as I hear. He might still be around, if you're interested."

Nova scratched his head. "What does 'quite a bit' mean in numbers?"

"Somethin' to the tune of 50,000 credits. Not sure, really."

The other boys goggled. "Shit, man!" said Jared. "You'd be crazy to pass that up!"

"Yeah..." Nova had to admit that much. The last time a customer paid that much for anyof Cosmo's boys, it was before he'd even hired on. And he needed the money, too. He sniffed, clearing his nose. "We'll see. I'm too damn tired right now. I'll talk to Cosmo tomorrow."

"All right," said the bartender. "That drink's on me. Looks like you could use it."

"Thanks."

Once the man had returned to his counter, Nova glanced over at the new face. "Who's this? A new recruit?"

Sven nodded. "Yeah, his name's Minnik. He doesn't talk much yet."

"How long he been on?"

He shrugged. "A week, maybe a little more." He turned to Minnik, brushing a stray lock of red hair from his face. "How long's it been now?"

The young boy looked up. "Week and a half."

"How old are you?" asked Nova.

"Twelve."

"Jesus!" Nova slumped back. "Cosmo's out of his mind! He'll be taking on ten-year-olds next!" He shot a look at Minnik. "No offense."

The blond boy shook his head. "None taken. I got nowhere else to go, is all. I just do what I know how to do."

The other three nodded. "Yeah, that's how it works with us," said Jared. "And damned if anyone cares if we live or die."

"Cosmo cares," said Sven. "He'd be in the poor house without us."

"Symbiotes," said Nova. "He needs us and we need him."

The other boys nodded solemnly. Then Nova glanced around. "Is Iris on duty? I need to talk to him."

Jared shook his head. "He had a booking on Europa yesterday, but nothing today. He's probably back at the Office."

Nova nodded. The Office was the affectionate term for the dingy old place from which Cosmo ran his business. There were shared living quarters for all the boys, but a typical employee would spend less than half the year there. The other half, he'd be on duty in another system, or somewhere in hyperspace coming or going.

He gulped the last drops of his drink, and stood. "I guess I'm heading back there now, then. I may as well talk to Dorgan, too. Anyone else coming?"

Jared shook his head. "I've got a booking in an hour, and Sven heads out on a Star Liner in three."

Nova whistled. "A Star Liner, huh? Some dude on a pleasure cruise?"

Sven nodded, grinning. "I'm gonna be spending the next week in the lap of luxury, and get paid for it! Sometimes I love this line of work."

Nova rolled his eyes, and glanced at Minnik. "What about him?"

"I'm taking him to my booking," said Jared. "Showing him the ropes. He ain't doing solo yet."

Nova nodded, remembering his first days. For the first few weeks, the newcomers only went on threesome runs; it was easier to train them that way.

"Good luck," he said to Minnik, and headed for the exit, waving goodbye to the bartender on his way out. As he headed for the transport drop-off, he wondered how many new guys had hired on since he left. He hated being out of touch. And he'd been with Cosmo the longest, since he was thirteen. It wasn't right for him to be out of touch. He was the one that was supposed to know everything. He made a mental note to check the roster as soon as he got back to the Office.

Several minutes later, he found the Kane Band transport loading passengers. The transport was a modified Cargo Drone, whose small bay had been changed to a passenger compartment. There were three that launched from this spaceport. One traveled west along the Kane Band, one traveled east, and the third took passengers to the surface of the planet, where they could catch other transports to get them where they needed to go.

One of the only reliable things about the Kane Band, Nova thought.

He filed into the line for the transport going east, and soon found himself sitting in the cramped and overstuffed passenger section of the modified Cargo Drone. He sighed. These rides always seemed to take longer than they actually did.

He felt the drone lift off from the landing pad, and he settled himself in for the hour-long ride to the Entertainment District.

* * *

**July 26th, 1177 NC, 7:01 p.m. **The Entertainment District. The only District of the Kane Band designed solely for pleasure and relaxation. Walking down the street, one could easily find hotels, restaurants, clubs, casinos, resorts, holo-fantasy centres, everything a wandering tourist could possibly want to find while spending some time on the Kane Band. It seemed fitting that Dorgan Cosmo ran his business from here. One could only find more tourists down in the hot spots on the planet itself, though more and more people had begun to leave the surface lately. 

Here in the E.D., Cosmo kept at least a dozen to fifteen boys nearby, ready to either seduce a sexually deprived-looking tourist or grant the requests of a knowing customer. Since the few Feds that served in the E.D. never actually paid attention to the goings-on within, men generally felt at ease visiting the Office, and there were even some regulars who always chose the same young man time after time.

Nova had debated for a long time whether any of these facts were good or bad. He had temporarily settled on good; after all, he earned his money through Cosmo's business. He had quite a bit saved up, too. Unfortunately, as it turned out, Port Kane hadn't had a branch of his bank from which he could withdraw enough credits to return to Earth. _Oh, well, _he thought, _I got here anyway. _

At any rate, he was intent on saving up enough money for his own ship and finding his way out of the sex trade once and for all. So far, he'd only managed to store 200,000 credits, nowhere near enough for a decent ship. But one day, he resolved, that Starbridge would be his.

It was a fairly long walk from the drop-off to the Office, but he rarely noticed. Part of his mind would instinctively be looking for easy marks. The innocent-looking men that wandered around in the dark alleys, or the important-looking ones, the businessmen, that would otherwise have no reason to be in the E.D. at all. With Nova's trained eye, he was able to spot several between the transport and the Office, some of which were heading in the same direction he was.

It wasn't long before he reached the place, eyeing it with mixed distaste and fondness. It was tucked away in an alley, sandwiched between a restaurant and a cheap motel. At first glance, the Office looked like a privately owned home, which was exactly how Cosmo wanted it to look. There was nothing to indicate its presence besides the small door set in the metal wall of the alley, so that essentially one wouldn't find the Office unless one knew where it was.

Nova pushed open the swinging door and cast a gaze around the familiar place. After a month, it looked as dirty and downtrodden as ever. He was amazed that a place that seemed so disreputable could have such a good reputation.

He couldn't help wondering if he'd helped that reputation along somewhat.

But he pushed that thought out of his mind for the moment, searching the dim entrance hall for any sign of the boy named Iris. One of the few close friends that Nova had, Iris had originally come from the surface of the planet Earth, a small desert village in Egypt. He'd ventured up to the Kane Band searching for a better life, and instead came face-to-face with poverty and near-starvation. It was Dorgan Cosmo that found him wandering the alleys of the E.D. and took him in, only two months after Nova had hired on.

Nova glanced around the small room, but didn't see his friend anywhere. The doors leading to Cosmo's office and to the boys' living areas were closed, and the only person in the room was the receptionist, Frank Almone. Frank had once been a boy on the "Hot List," the list of the most popular boys, of which Nova was currently at the top. When Frank outgrew the business, he begged Cosmo to give him a job, any job. Cosmo had given in, providing him with the receptionist work and his own living quarters. Privately, Nova thought that Frank was insane, never wanting to leave. For his own part, he couldn't wait to get out of the Office.

Nova headed for the boys' bunks, pausing only to check the roster of employees currently serving the business. He breathed out a sigh of relief when he saw that Minnik was the only new addition since he'd left. Nova didn't like uncertainty. He pushed open the door to the bunks, noticing that Frank hadn't even noticed he'd come and gone. _Some receptionist_, he thought.

As he walked into the bunkroom, he glanced around, looking for an unoccupied bed. Since Cosmo's boys came and went so often, it was pointless to try and claim a permanent bunk. Instead, whenever they were going to be staying at the Office for an extended period of time, they'd just find the nearest empty bed and toss their belongings at the foot. He saw plenty of backpacks and duffels, but the room was otherwise empty.

It was then that Nova realized that he didn't have his belongings with him. He mentally cursed, remembering that he'd given them to Cosmo to hold on to for the duration of his month's stay in Kania. _Looks like I've got to talk to him after all_, he thought.

He glanced again around the large room, and then finally spotted Iris at the far end. He was sitting on his bed, his back to the door. He hadn't heard Nova enter; he was hunched over something, absorbed in his task.

Nova grinned, and then tiptoed across the room, between the beds, until he eventually stood directly behind Iris. He could see what he was doing now. He had a small pile of credit chips in his lap, and was counting the total. Nova suddenly put his hands over the other boy's eyes, and said: "guess who?"

He heard Iris laugh, and he took his hands away as the sixteen-year-old stood up, hopped over the bed, and gave him a friendly hug. Nova then flopped back on the bed behind him, noting that it was unoccupied. He sighed, feeling the rubbery mattress and scratchy blankets beneath him.

"Hey, man!" said Iris. "Where were you? You were supposed to be back two days ago!"

Nova shook his head. "Long story."

"Well, let's hear it. I'm off duty until tomorrow, so we can catch up all we want."

A sigh, and then Nova explained the grim details of his stay on Port Kane, outlined the three days he spent wandering the station's spaceport, and finally told of the nasty old captain of the _Lucky Anchor. _"He even grabbed my ass as I headed down the ramp," he said. "Dirty old son of a..."

Iris's dark face and eyes showed a look of mixed disgust and humour. "Sounds like you had a hell of a month. Mine was boring, you know, same as usual. Got a 20,000 credit booking last week, though."

Nova grinned. "Sweet deal! How much you got now?"

The younger boy shook his head. "Only 90,000. Shit, I'm gonna be here forever..." A dreamy look passed across Iris's face. "You know, I was in the shipyard off the spaceport the other day, and they had an awesome looking Valkyrie in there. Only 500,000 credits..."

Nova laughed. "A Porsche! You mean to tell me you're planning on getting a Porsche?"

"Hey," said Iris, "why not? They're stylish!"

"Hah," said Nova, picturing the old Porsche Valkyrie. A big blue cylinder, pretty much, with a couple of wings attached to the rear and three classic-style combustion engines. Not exactly his dream vehicle.

Iris shook his head. "Whatever. The boss said he wanted you to go see him when you got back, eh? He was pulling his hair out a couple days ago. Some guy was in here with a hell of an offer, from what I hear."

Nova nodded. "I heard he put up a 50,000 credit deal."

Iris whistled. "Now _there's_ a booking! You think you blew it?"

The older boy scoffed. "How? I wasn't here to blow anything. Cosmo wants to blame anyone, he can blame that cheap friend of his." He stretched. "I need to see him today, anyway. He's got all my stuff."

"Go now, then. He's here for the rest of the day."

"Later," said Nova, leaning forward, "but I was thinking. You and me both want to get out of here, right?"

"Right," said Iris curiously.

"And we want to leave in our very own ships, right?"

"Right."

Nova looked at his clasped hands. "That's why I was thinking... I mean, a Starbridge needs a two-person crew, right? And together, we've already got nearly 300,000 credits..."

"Wait," said Iris. "You want to pool our funds and buy a Starbridge? For us?"

He nodded. "I mean... well, you're really the only friend I've got, one I can trust, anyway. And we both want the same things. It makes sense."

Iris sighed. "I don't know, man... you think we can do it? We still need double of what we got."

"And enough for modifications," Nova added, "but I think we can do it. We saved up this much, didn't we? And what if this 50,000-credit gig is for real? That'd help a lot."

The younger boy scratched his chin, grinning. "You really want to do this, huh?"

Nova nodded. "And I want you to be there with me when I take off from this shit-hole forever."

Iris put his hand forward, and Nova shook it. "Brother, you've got yourself a deal. But go see Cosmo now. If you can still get that 50,000, I say go for it."

"Here's hoping," said Nova, and promptly stood and headed out of the bunkroom.

No sooner was he in the reception area than Frank's dry voice floated at him from behind the counter. "Well, well, well. Look what the cunjo dragged in."

Nova sighed. "Nice to see you, too, Frank."

"Sure," he replied. "Whatever you say. I was hoping I'd seen the last of you when you left for Port Kane. I heard the guy you were off to see was into extreme S&M."

_He was_, thought Nova, grimacing as he remembered how painful most of the month had been. But he kept it to himself. "You should go and see him sometime. You'd probably have enjoyed it, you sick bastard."

Frank snorted derisively. "You really do think you're all that, don't you? Don't forget, you're sitting pretty in _my _spot on the Hot List, Nova, and if I were still in the business, you'd be _struggling_ to catch up."

Nova rolled his eyes and pushed open the door to Dorgan Cosmo's office. The office in the Office. He shook his head. That line was beyond old at this point.

Cosmo was there, as predicted, and as soon as he saw who it was walking through the door, he stood, his face a mixture of reds and purples. Cosmo was a tall, thin man, and tended to wear clothes that didn't suit his image. Sure, he was rich enough to buy the expensive, flowing garments that he enjoyed wearing, but underneath them was a rough, temperamental personality. His black hair was tousled about on his head, and he hadn't shaved in several days. _Because of me,_ Nova thought.

"Where have you _been_?" said Cosmo, rounding his desk and moving so close to Nova that he could smell the beer on the man's breath. "I've been looking all over for you! Think you're pretty funny, bouncing around this place like you're on vacation?"

Nova was taken aback. He hadn't even been on the planet for the last three days, and Cosmo didn't realize it. "For your information," he said, "the fucker you sent me to live with didn't even spot me a lift back. I had to thumb it."

"_What?!"_ Cosmo threw his hands in the air and leaned on his desk. "Wait till I get my hands on him..." He shot a look a Nova. "Where'd you get the credits to hike back, anyway?"

"Didn't. Had to give the guy the full service. Free of charge."

Cosmo's head slumped forward, and he sighed. "Shit. So when did you get back?"

"An hour ago," Nova replied. "Stopped in at the Lubritorium for a few minutes, came back here. I heard something about a good offer."

Cosmo, head in his hand, scoffed. "'Good offer.' Yeah, you could say that. Guy stopped in here a couple days ago, some dude by the name of Harrison. Shot me up with a fucking unbelievable deal. He owned some casino or something, over on Viking. Tichel system, you know the place. Said he was looking for someone to 'entertain' his son. Birthday present." Nova looked at him strangely, but he waved his hand. "Fuck, I didn't want to ask. Anyway, he wanted you specifically. Wouldn't take anyone else."

Nova shuddered involuntarily. Viking. Even during the short time he'd been there in the _Lucky Anchor_, he'd been uneasy. Viking was the most blatant proprietor of pirated and illegal goods and ships in Fed space. Only one hyperspace jump away from Earth, which proved the Feds weren't paying attention. But Viking was dangerous, too. Lots of criminal activity there.

"So," said Nova, resolving to wait before making up his mind, "how much was this unbelievable deal? I heard something to the tune of fifty thousand."

Cosmo looked Nova squarely in the eyes. "Try something to the tune of _five hundred _thousand."

Nova nearly fell over. _Five hundred thousand credits._ Iris could have bought his Valkyrie with that much. It was a while before the boy felt his voice return to him. "You're pulling my leg. You're fucking leading me on."

"Yeah, that's what I said," Cosmo replied. "He was dead serious."

"But..." said Nova, unsure of what he wanted to say. "But _why?_ Why would he offer that much? He either wants to get rid of his life savings, or... well, maybe there's something he's not telling us. And how much of it do I get, anyway?"

"That's just it," he said. "He only named your share. You do this, you get 500,000 big ones to yourself."

Nova had to sit down. "Five hundred thousand... Which means _your _share must be..."

"Substantial," said Cosmo. "That's why I wanted to run this one so badly. I don't know if he's still in the system now. Said he had to head home in time for his son's birthday, which is tomorrow. If he wanted to make it, he'd have to have left by now."

Nova sighed. His one chance to make it off the Band in a single sweep, and he'd missed it. He was about to ask more when there was a knock. Seconds later, Frank's head appeared in the doorway.

"Sorry to interrupt," he said in his typical, annoyingly flirtatious manner, "but there's a client here to see you, Mr. Cosmo."

The old entrepreneur sighed. "Fine. I'll be with him in a few minutes. Nova, you're free for now. I'll see if I haven't got anything lined up for you tomorrow."

Nodding, and still slightly in shock over what had happened with this Mr. Harrison, Nova headed out of Cosmo's office, stepping out of the way to allow the client to pass by on his way in. This client was eyeing him with interest, but Nova wasn't paying attention. He was thinking. The one question still on his mind was _why?_ Why in the name of Kel'ar Iy had this man offered up half a million for this job? Why was it so important to him? Or was he just rich?

Nova then stopped, closed his eyes, and sighed in annoyance. He'd forgotten to ask Cosmo for his belongings. He looked back to the door, wondering if he should interrupt. Cosmo had apparently not been expecting this client, so it couldn't be too important. He decided to head back and ask the question.

He heard Cosmo's voice as he walked into the office. "I'm just glad you hadn't left yet. Why, if you did, we'd never be able to provide for your son, now would we? I'll be happy to go and get him now, if you're in a hurry."

"That'd probably be best," said the client, a large man with a thick beard. "This isn't the first time our vessel has had engine trouble."

Nova took the opportunity to clear his throat audibly, and Cosmo looked up. Then he smiled broadly. "Ah, and here's the slippery rascal, now." He stood up and put his arm around the teenager, who was now both confused and nauseated. "Nova, my boy. Let me introduce you to Mr. Harrison." He emphasized the man's name pointedly. "How would you like to go with Mr. Harrison on a trip down to Viking?"

It took Nova a split second to understand what was going on, and he extended his hand to Mr. Harrison, suppressing a grin. "It's nice to meet you," he said. "I'm sorry I missed you the last time you came to call."

The big man shook his head. "No worries. My ship broke down, so I was stranded in the spaceport for a while. I saw you boarding the transport, so I decided to come back here. Lucky thing, huh?"

Nova nodded, thinking better of asking the man how he'd known what he looked like. "Very lucky. I'd be happy to be your son's birthday present." _Understatement of the year,_ he thought to himself. _Five hundred thousand credits for a booking with a young guy. This is my day!_

Mr. Harrison sighed. "Sixteen years old tomorrow," he said. "I'll tell you more about him on the way to Viking."

Nova nodded again. "Sure. I'm ready to go. I just need to run and finish something first."

At a nod from Cosmo, who was looking as if he'd won the lottery, he dashed out the door, and leaned heavily against the wall, breathing hard, but nearly in tears. He'd done it. He'd gotten the booking. He didn't blow it after all.

He tried to sort out all the implications, doing the math in his head. He had 200,000 credits saved up already, and Iris had 90,000. Put that together with the earnings he'd get from this booking... His smile widened. Nearly 800,000 credits. They could do it. They could be off this iron rock forever. And he decided he couldn't hold the news back any longer.

He bolted into the bunkroom, calling his friend's name. "Iris! _Iris!!"_

Iris turned away from his credit chips and looked at Nova curiously. "What? What is it? What's going on?"

Nova replied by giving him a hug that lifted him off his feet and left him short of breath. "You'll never believe this! You're never going to believe this!" he was saying. Over and over again he repeated himself, too delirious with joy to stop.

He finally let the younger boy go and sat down on the bed, trying to calm himself down. But he was far too excited, and started pacing instead. "You remember that deal we were talking about?" he said.

"Yeah, yeah. I do. What's up?"

The seventeen-year-old grinned broadly. "Listen to me, Iris. If I pull this gig off, I come back here with five hundred grand! I could come back here with enough to get us off this rock for good!!"

Iris shouted with glee, and presently leapt up and wrapped Nova in his own tight hug. "I can't believe it! This is awesome! Tell me more!"

They broke apart, and Nova grasped Iris' shoulders. "I can't explain it all now, I've got to go soon. But I swear, when I come back, we'll leave, we'll get out of here permanently, and we'll do it in our very own ship. Just you and me, Iris. And we'll never come back!"

"Never!" the sixteen-year-old agreed. "Not on your life."

Nova nodded. "I need to go now... you be good, all right? Don't get into any trouble. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"Of course not." Iris clapped his hand on his friend's shoulder. "I'll be waiting, Nova. Come back rich."

"I will," he said. "Just wait and see." And with that, Nova turned and strode confidently out of the bunkroom. Iris watched him go, and sighed deeply as his friend vanished through the swinging door. Soon, he thought, they'd be on their way to starting new lives. And they'd never have to lift another finger for Dorgan Cosmo again.

Iris fell back on his bed, tears of joy beginning to form in his eyes. He'd never before felt this much hope, this much promise. Just thinking that soon, he and Nova would be taking off from the Kane Band spaceport for the very last time... He could barely contain himself.He brushed his hand across his pile of credit chips, and sighed again. This was the end of Dorgan, the end of the bookings, the end of all the uncertainty and fear. Iris' old life, Nova's old life... they were both over, and waiting to start anew.

And there was a whole universe out there waiting for them.


	2. Chapter 2: Viking

**NOVA**

**Chapter 2 – Viking **

* * *

**July 27th, 1177 NC, 1:07 a.m.** The rusty springs of the upper bunk glared down at Nova as he tried to sleep. Despite the events of the day – hell, perhaps even _because _of them – he was terribly tired. But the spongy mattress and scratchy blanket didn't do much for a peaceful night's slumber, either. 

They had taken off from the Kane Band, as promised, less than an hour after leaving the Office. The transport, sickeningly crowded as usual, had taken both Mr. Harrison and Nova back to the spaceport, where they found the large man's ship, upon which repairs were still underway.

Nova remembered what he'd been thinking when he first saw the modified Argosy-class starship. From his limited knowledge, he knew that the Argosy had originally been created by the Aurorans, and the pirates in the Tichel system had either bought or stolen the design. Nova wasn't sure which; pirates tended to be capable of both.

Regardless of origin, this Pirate Argosy had been heavily outfitted, that much was obvious. The ship, called the _Runner_, sported two light blaster turrets on the front end, along with two medium blasters, one on each of the two extendable "arms" that were built into the sides of the ship. Nova could also see an infrared missile launcher topside, along with a considerable store of ammunition.

The little ship was certainly loaded for bear. But, then again, it _was _a pirate ship.

Nova thought back to his conversation with Mr. Harrison a few minutes later. They'd stepped into the Lubritorium, where the man had bought Nova a drink while they waited for the repairs to finish. He'd started off talking about the ship – his personal vessel, comparatively small, only needing eight or nine crew members to run it – but eventually spoke more about his son, the birthday boy, and about Nova's role in the occasion.

"Basically," he'd said, "I'm doing this secretly. In other words, I don't want my boy to know that this had anything to do with me." He sighed. "He tries to hide his… uh… I don't know, gay-ness from me, but bless his fruity little soul, it's just too obvious. So I figured I'd treat him to something he'd really enjoy, but not give away that I've figured him out, know what I mean?"

Nova had nodded understandingly. Had he met Mr. Harrison in any other context, he'd probably have kept his sexuality a guarded secret. It didn't surprise him that the kid was still in the closet. "So," he had said, "how did you find out about Cosmo? And what's so special about me?"

Nova could have sworn that Mr. Harrison's face went slightly red. "You're actually kind of famous, you know that? And my son… well, he's a fan of yours. I heard your name brought up when he was talkin' to one of his friends, along with Cosmo's. So I did a bit of research." He caught the look on Nova's face, and added hastily, "I wasn't eavesdropping, if that's what you think. I walked by the door to his chamber while he was on the tranceiver to one of his buddies on the spacedock."

"No worries," Nova had said, although thinking back, he was sure that the look on his face had betrayed his true thoughts.

That didn't matter now, though. It turned out that Mr. Harrison did indeed own a casino, so Nova wasn't surprised at the amount he was willing to pay. He had credits to burn, after all, so why not ensure that he got the best quality product?

Nova shuddered under his blanket, jerked back to reality at that thought. He was thinking of himself as a product now. That wasn't a good sign... especially since his freedom was so close he could taste it. His and Iris's.

He rolled over onto his side, staring across the room and out the porthole. It had been less than five hours since they took off from the Kane Band, and they'd be arriving in the Tichel system that afternoon. It was enough to put a look of self-pity on the teenager's face. He wasn't particularly looking forward to spending time on Viking. Prostitution and piracy were two very different aspects of criminal activity, and Nova didn't want to face the latter head-on. And now that he thought about it, why was he so ready to trust this Harrison, a casino manager from the pirate center of the inner worlds?

It didn't make much sense.

He turned onto his back again, staring up at the rusty springs of the bed above him, which squeaked as the man sleeping above moved around in his slumber. Nova had been given a bunk in the crew quarters of the _Runner _for the night. Half the crew was on night duty, and Harrison slept in his own quarters in another part of the ship, so there were only four others sleeping on the old bunk beds. Three men and one woman. Nova hadn't really taken in any of their features. Or their names, for that matter. He didn't see why he should worry about it, considering the journey was only a day long.

He laid there for several more minutes before he decided he wouldn't be sleeping that night. The rhythmic breathing of the other crew members remained unchanged as he quietly rose from his bottom bunk, clad only in a small pair of tight-fitting underwear. Those, his pants, and his shirt were all the things he had. He'd been ready to bring the rest of his belongings with him, but Harrison had assured him that all the clothes he would need would be provided for him. It made him wonder how long he'd be staying.

He resolved not to think about it.

He scratched his left buttock as he walked over to the porthole, staring outside into the emptiness. He was somewhat surprised that he couldn't sleep. The beds at the Office were only marginally better than these were, and there were usually more bunk-mates back on the Kane Band to put up with. Some of them even snored. Compared to that, the crew quarters on the ship were silent as the grave.

But then he took the time to think about it. He realized why he'd been so ready to trust Harrison, although he thought he'd handled himself pretty well when he was introduced. Looking back, he was surprised he hadn't started running in circles around the room. He'd been that happy.

And that was why Harrison had gained his trust so easily. All Nova could think about was his freedom, the potential to get off the Kane Band forever. And now, here he was, having doubts at the worst possible time.

He was no longer surprised he couldn't sleep.

Still, the light show outside was entertaining enough. That was one thing he always enjoyed about traveling in hyperspace. The stars would streak by, making it look like an endless meteor shower was passing by the window. He'd often be mesmerized by it, watching each passing streak until he couldn't follow it anymore, and then moving to the next one.

He was still such a child at heart. But his body had long ago lost its innocence.

He turned back to the beds. One of the male crew members had tossed and turned in his sleep and was no longer covered by his blanket, revealing the overweight man's naked bottom half. Nova sighed. Now that he had that image in his mind, it promised to be an even longer night than it already would have been.

He hobbled back to his bunk, satisfied that he had plenty to think about.

* * *

**July 27th, 1177 NC, 4:16 p.m. **The sun was already beginning to set on Viking as the _Runner _descended towards the spaceport of the second-largest city, Mayman. Nova watched the viewscreen as the ship slowly lowered toward their assigned landing co-ordinates. Mr. Harrison had allowed him to watch from the bridge, so that he could get his first glance at the enormous metropolis. 

Nova, looking at the viewscreen with mixed senses of distaste and interest, cast an eye over the vast sea of sky-scrapers. Every building in the city seemed to be at least twenty stories high, and some were even higher than that. He could see the streets between the buildings, the cars driving along in the traffic, and the hover-cars above them, some heading up to the floating platforms that comprised the spaceport, shipyard and trade centers, and others just heading out of the city, or so Nova assumed; no matter where he looked, he could see no trees, nor any stretches of green that might indicate grass or any other living thing.

And this was only the second-biggest city. It gave Nova a headache to think about the largest.

The size was only part of what made the place so foreboding. Mayman seemed to have a permanent cloud of darkness that made the city resemble a living shadow. Viking's sun was farther away from the planet than Earth was to its own, so Nova imagined that even broad daylight here would resemble dawn on Earth... or dusk.

As it was now, with the sun dipping lower and lower, the sunset lighting upon the metropolis was closer to twilight than dusk. The city was already beginning to light up. Nova could see the lights inside the numerous skyscrapers flash on, one by one, and the many streetlights on the main roads began to do the same. As they continued their descent, however, he spotted an appalling number of alleys and back roads that only had one or two streetlights to indicate their presence.

_This'd be a great place for a criminal to live, _thought Nova. _A huge city with a lot of dark alleys. Great._

Surprisingly enough, despite the dubious grandeur of the city, Nova could pick out what he guessed was Harrison's casino. He couldn't read its name, but he could see the word _Casino, _revolving within an enormous holographic image of an old Earth viking warrior.

Harrison, who was standing next to him, followed his gaze. "That's my casino, all right. _Thor's Riches._ Based on some old Earth legend, I think. Not bad, huh?"

Nova decided it would be unwise to reveal his opinion, so he simply nodded.

A few minutes later, they were low enough so that all Nova could see were the seemingly endless roofs of the buildings, looking almost like a flat, grey landscape but for the spaces in between. He squinted, realizing just how dark it had gotten in the short time since they'd broken through the atmosphere.

He felt the familiar, dull _thud _of the landing struts touching ground – or what passed for ground on a floating platform – and headed out of the bridge, toward the location of the exit ramp. He passed by the empty crew quarters, feeling an involuntary shudder pass through him. He was amazed that he managed to stay in his line of work with such a weak stomach.

The ramp had already been lowered by the time Nova crossed to the back of the ship, and four crewmen were busy with post-landing procedures. They were surprisingly meticulous about how they did so. Nova was surprised they weren't rolling out a red carpet. Or dusting the hull.

He figured he should wait for his customer, so he glanced around the comparatively small platform, taking in his surroundings. The spaceport was pretty typical, similar to that of the Kane Band. There was a bar and restaurant in the far corner, an outfitter's in another. The recharge station was occupied by a Terrapin freighter, whose captain looked considerably nervous. Nova couldn't say he blamed him, for the difference between this spaceport and others in Federation space was the number of dark grey pirate ships. The Terrapin, one of the slowest freighters of its size on the free market, was often a ripe target for pirate ships. Nova had once seen a gang of Pirate Vipers swarm a Terrapin and leave it dead in space.

So Nova wasn't at all uncertain of why the captain looked as uneasy as he did. He himself was already feeling more uncomfortable than usual, and he didn't even have a ship to worry about.

He inhaled deeply, and then wrinkled his nose as he remembered the other well-known fact about Viking. The planet was rich with minerals and ores that the Feds just couldn't resist stripping off for their capital ships. They'd turned it into their own private mine, emptying it of all the valuable resources it could bear. The world, as Nova was bluntly reminded by the smell, had become polluted and near-unsanitary.

All this only served to remind Nova of just how little the Federation cared for its citizens. He decided to stop thinking about it.

He heard footsteps behind him, and he turned to see the rest of the crew stepping off the _Runner, _followed by Harrison. The big man took a deep breath of the repugnant air, grinning. "Good to be home. What do you think of Viking, Nova?"

"It's an experience," he replied noncommittally.

"Damn straight it is!" He glanced around the platform, looking for something. "My personal hover-car should be waiting for us here... well, no matter. Whenever it gets here, it'll take us down to the surface."

"Why do you need to leave the ship here?" asked Nova. "Don't you have somewhere to put it at the casino or something?"

"Oh, yes," he replied, his eyes darting around somewhat, "but I'm leaving again tomorrow evening, so I figured I'd leave it ready to go. I should be able to take you back to the Kane Band by then, too."

"Yeah," said Nova. "That makes sense."

A short while later, the hover-car appeared at the far end of the spacedock, and Nova and Mr. Harrison were chauffeured downward toward the surface. Nova eyed the interior of the car as they descended. It was a Porsche. It figured, he thought. The hover-car market wasn't huge, but adding the profits from the surprisingly popular Valkyrie freighters, the company managed to get by.

Nova remembered seeing a modified Valkyrie on the spacedock, a typical pirate variant. Like all the rest of the Pirate-class ships, it was painted a dark grey, so dark it was nearly black, and it had been heavily armed, with some outfits that Nova hadn't even been able to put names to.

Presently, the hover-car descended into a line of traffic on the main streets, with the rest of the land-bound cars. Nova had always been amazed at how well the little four-wheelers managed to compete with the space-faring market. They were one of the oldest inventions still in everyday use, from the days before the Kane Band.

Sitting there in the traffic, Nova felt a twinge of pity for the humans of so long ago, the ones who had to endure this every day of their lives. He wasn't intimately familiar with being bound to land. He couldn't stand the thought of being forced to remain attached to solid ground, away from the stars.

But then again, he supposed sometimes space wasn't the nicest place to be.

Traveling down the road, the small hover-car veered to the right, into one of the many dark alleys, driving some way before it emerged onto another main road. This road was much better lit than the first, and it didn't take Nova long to see why. The casino, _Thor's Riches, _was just down the street, and the holo-sign that had been nothing but a dim glow in the distance from the spaceport was bright enough up close to make Nova want to cover his eyes, which had gotten used to the dimness of the alley. The light did nothing to combat the envelope of darkness above, but the street below was illuminated as if it were midday.

The vehicle pulled onto the curb a few feet from the entrance to the casino. Nova craned his neck upward, wondering why a casino would be so many stories high. He then glanced around and saw a couple of smartly dressed men carrying luggage into the building. So there was a hotel in there, too.

Mr. Harrison clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Great, isn't it? I live in a nice place on the top floor, but you won't be heading up there until later on tonight."

Nova looked at him curiously, and he grinned. "I told you already, you're being kept a secret. I'm going to give you a hotel room, but you probably won't be spending the night there. Later on, when the guests are all gone and everyone's in bed, you'll 'sneak' into my son's bedroom." He then gazed up toward the top of the building distractedly.

"All right," said Nova, "so I'll just invent something if he asks how I knew?"

"Yeah, exactly... I'm sure you've had to improvise your way through situations before."

Nova nodded. "I'll manage. Just as long as I get my pay, I'm good."

"Yeah," he replied. "Don't worry about that."

"Good."

Harrison proceeded to escort the boy into the lobby. Nova looked around, and realized that the main floor occupied four stories in itself. The lobby was enormous, with large double doors at the far end leading to the casino itself, and an anti-grav lift at the other which, Nova assumed, took its passengers up to the hotel floors.

Less than fifteen minutes later, after a brief conversation with the receptionists at the front desk, Nova found himself standing alone in his extremely lavish hotel room. He was amazed that Harrison could afford to put such things into his hotel rooms. There was a widescreen holovid in one corner, near a fairly large desk with a clav and a small stack of lucent. The bed was at least king-size, if not larger, and a door near the entrance to the room led into a bathroom that was nearly twice the size of Cosmo's office.

This was more luxury than he'd experienced in quite some time.

He laid down on the bed, gazing up at the ceiling. He thought about a few things, eager to take his mind off of where he was. But no matter how hard he tried, he'd always end up dwelling on either the money he was making, or the boy he was to entertain... or the danger he could well have been in.

He couldn't get his mind off of his gut feeling that something else was going on here that he didn't know about. There had been something about Mr. Harrison's manner that he didn't like, a smugness that he couldn't trace. Maybe it was just the planet's reputation that had him on edge, but at the same time, he didn't like ignoring his instincts. They'd served him well over the years.

He got up and walked to the window. He was on the side of the building opposite the well-lit main street, so he could see nothing but darkness beyond the duraglass. That and his own reflection. He ran a hand through his hair, eyeing himself. He'd have to wash up before he went to his booking. The last three days' difficulties had done their work on him. He was dirty, his hair was greasy, and he'd smelled better.

He then realized that while he couldn't see outside, someone in the darkness could certainly see in, and he hastily backed away from the window and pulled the blinds shut. He hated being this paranoid. Few environments made him this nervous, and something inside was telling him it wasn't just the environment he was in. There was something deeper than that, and Nova had no way of knowing what it was.

And that bothered him.

He sighed. Whether or not something was up, all he could do was the best job he could, and get out as soon as possible. He pulled off his shoes and socks, sat on the bed, and then looked at the wall. He looked for patterns in the wallpaper, found none. He checked the chrono on the wall. Five-thirty. Still a long time to go.

_Still, _he thought, _you can never be too prepared._

He marched off toward the bathroom, stripping off his shirt as he went.

* * *

**July 28th, 1177 NC, 12:56 a.m. **Nova, sprawled naked across the covers of the bed, slept heavily, the forgotten images on the holovid casting strange light across his pale skin, now much cleaner than it had been before. A news reporter droned on with news from the Federation-Auroran border, carrying on with the same old information, yet always being careful to portray the Feds in the brightest light possible. 

Nova, of course, wasn't paying attention. He was somewhere else, catching up on sleep he hadn't been able to procure for weeks. His wavy brown hair lay sprawled across the pillow, no longer dull and greasy but fresh and shining. Everything about him looked perfect, right down to his nails, which had been carefully clipped and groomed. After his years in the business, Nova was very familiar with the proper procedure when preparing for a booking.

But he wasn't admiring himself. He was still lost in his dreams, imagining his future, reliving his past, and living through countless other things that couldn't even reach an observer's imagination.

The com panel on the wall started to beep loudly, and Nova stirred, glancing around him as he began to remember where he was and what he was doing. The com panel was still beeping. He looked at the chrono. It was nearly one o'clock in the morning. He'd been asleep for six hours.

He rubbed his eyes and got up to answer the insistent racket of the com. Seconds later, Harrison's face appeared on the screen. He looked very tired, but Nova was surprised to see that he was sober. Probably so he could make sure everything ran smoothly.

He grinned drowsily. "Hey, Nova. Thought you might have dozed off."

"Yeah," the boy replied. "Something like that."

"Good, good. The guests are all gone, and Deric's gone to bed. It's now or never."

Nova nodded. "I'll be up as soon as I fix my hair. What should I do?"

"Come to the front door, and I'll let you in," said Harrison. "We'll take it from there."

Nova flicked off the com and glanced around the room for his clothes. As he'd expected, there was no change of clothing awaiting him. But that suited him just fine. At Nova's bookings, they rarely stayed on long enough for anyone to notice.

He stepped outside of his room and into the empty hallway. Even at this hour, the gamblers were only just stumbling back to their rooms, drunk as lords. There were still many, Nova suspected, in the casino, wasting their credits on the slot machines, the Kabo tables, and the holo-roulette.

He headed into the anti-grav, and pressed the button for the twenty-first floor, along with the key code that his customer had given him. He felt the repulsors kicking in, and the lift began to move upward as the speaker piped up with some information on a new brand of toothpaste.

It wasn't long before the anti-grav slowed to a halt, and Nova stepped out to find himself facing an elaborate landing. The floor was made of a durable marble that Nova remembered seeing on Merrol in the Aldebaran system. On either side of the spotless metal door, there were polished stone statues of viking warriors, one holding a hammer and the other holding a sword. There was an assortment of garbage strewn across the floor, from beer bottles and candy wrappers to – Nova cringed – human puke. _Must have been some party, _he thought.

He walked up, carefully dodging the trash and the vomit, and pressed the buzzer. There was a muffled voice on the other side that Nova couldn't understand, and then the door slid open to reveal Harrison, clad in nothing but a bathrobe, standing in the doorway.

"Good, you're here," he said, glancing around himself. "I'll show you around to the balcony. You can get into Deric's room from there. Remember," he added as they walked to the sliding glass door, "I didn't have anything to do with this."

Nova nodded. "I'll remember."

Harrison slid open the door, wished Nova good luck, and slid it closed again. Presently, he turned off the lights and disappeared into his own bedroom. Nova was alone out on the balcony now, and he turned around and leaned against the railing for a few minutes.

The apartment faced the more attractive side of the building. Despite the fact that it looked out upon the street below, it was a storey higher than most of the other buildings in the city, so Nova was able to look out fairly far across the rooftops. He supposed that for a planet such as Viking, he was privileged to one of the best views possible.

He then turned, looking at the other glass sliding door. When he went through there, his work would officially begin. He found himself wondering about this Deric's appearance. Was he good-looking? What colour was his hair? His eyes? The questions rambled through his mind as they always did before a booking. But this time it was different. He had to remind himself that this booking was with someone closer to his own age. Normally Nova was booked with men thirty years old or more. Some were still attractive, but many more had lost their looks to time, and it made Nova nauseous to think about some of the things he'd done with those men. But what now? What of this teenager who was celebrating his birthday?

He decided to find out.

The scarlet curtains were drawn across the door, so Nova couldn't see in; he couldn't even see whether the lock was set. He knew that Harrison would have disabled the alarm, so he wasn't worried about opening it up and walking in. But he hesitated for a few seconds, taking his deep breaths, pushing himself into the seductive mood.

Then he quietly slid the door open, and peered around the curtain.

The boy was sprawled on his bed, dead to the world. His chalk-white hair, tied into a braid, ran down atop the covers, nearly passing the lump underneath that marked his knees. He was lying on his side facing the doorway, and Nova could see his features, very feminine, with rosy lips and cheeks. His nose and ears were the perfect size for his face, and Nova watched him inhale and exhale, silent as the grave. His arm, clad in a silky white pajama top, rested underneath his pillow. He looked completely serene.

And then Nova experienced a sensation he'd never felt before, not in any of his previous bookings. There was a stirring in his mind, something of which he couldn't rid himself, and irresistible feeling of longing. This boy was something different, he could sense that.

He slid the door closed behind him, making more noise than he had intended. He saw the small boy open one eye drowsily at the noise. Nova stood there, outlined in the light behind him. Deric's other eye opened, and both went wide, as he sat up quickly and squinted. "Who..." he started, and then swallowed. "Who are you? What do you want?"

Nova didn't answer straight away. He ran a hand through his hair. What was it about this boy? What was it that he couldn't put his finger on?

Deric spoke again, tentatively. "Who's there?"

In response, Nova took a step to the side, standing in front of the curtain. In the dim light seeping in from outside, he knew that he could be seen easily enough. He smiled. "Happy birthday, Deric," he said.

One of the younger boy's hands clutched his comforters. "You... who are you? Why do you look so familiar?"

Nova walked slowly over and sat down on Deric's bed. The other boy recoiled ever so slightly, but didn't make a sound. "I was told that tonight you turned sixteen," he said, keeping to his role. "Someone wanted you to have a very special birthday this year. That someone sent for me. So here I am."

Deric squinted at Nova, trying to make out who it could be. Then the eyes widened again, and his lips fought to decide on an appropriate facial expression. "You're Nova, aren't you? I... I know about you!" He turned, reached under his pillow, and pulled out a few worn-looking pictures. He looked from them to Nova, and back to the pictures, and slowly nodded. "You are! You're Nova! You're _the _Nova!"

The seventeen-year-old nodded. "Yes, I am." He reached out and put a hand on Deric's cheek. "And tonight, I'm all yours, big boy, because I want you to have the most wonderful night of your life. We'll do whatever you want to do."

Deric blinked, rested his right hand atop Nova's on his cheek. His mouth had decided on a smile, now. He was beaming as he stroked the older boy's hand, as if making sure he wasn't dreaming. "I can't believe it! You're... you're actually here!"

Nova couldn't help feeling touched. Here was a beautiful boy who had wanted for such a long time to meet him, just like a child would want to meet a holo-film star, or a famous athlete. That's what he was to this boy. He felt a sense of pride that he couldn't get rid of.

He took his hand away from Deric's face, stroking his thigh through the covers instead. "Yes, I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere soon. And why would I," he said, deciding to be honest, "when I'm in the company of such a beautiful boy?"

Deric blushed, looking away. "But," he said, "I thought you couldn't do bookings with... with kids like me," he said, and Nova was impressed at his knowledge of the terminology. "I thought the business was only for adults. For men."

Nova shrugged. "We made a special exception for you, Deric. Just for you."

Deric was still smiling. "I always thought about what I'd do if you came here... now that you actually are, I'm kind of... well, I don't know."

"Then use your imagination," Nova replied, giving him a gentle peck on the lips. Deric shivered with pleasure, and there was the beginning of a tear in his left eye. Nova wondered how it must feel to have a fantasy come true. He realized that all his fantasies revolved around his freedom.

He pulled away, and Deric bit his lip. "I know something I always wanted to do... It probably isn't something your clients usually want, but I think it's really romantic."

Nova smiled. _So he's into romance, _he thought. _Nice change of pace._

Out loud, he said, "just tell me what you want, sweet sixteen, and it's yours."

Deric grinned, and took Nova's hand into his own. "All right," he said, "but I need to get dressed first." With that, he hopped out of his bed and scurried over to his closet.

Nova watched him, vaguely amused. He'd never been to a booking where his clients wanted to put on _more _clothes. He watched as Deric selected a few garments from his closet, and gave him a once-over as he changed. He wasn't totally fit, but he wasn't pudgy either. _Just about perfect, _Nova thought, _just like that hair of his. _He admired the braid for a while. When Deric was wearing no clothes, he could tell that it hung just below his buttocks. Nova had always adored long hair, and the braid made it all the more attractive.

The younger boy, now fully-dressed in tight pants, a sleeveless shirt, and a long, flowing robe with elaborate designs on it, once again took Nova's hand and led him toward his door. "I want to take you somewhere," he said. "It's where I always go when I want to be alone. I've wanted to... to show it to you for a long time."

Together they walked out into the hallway, past his father's room, and into the main living room, which had been the centre of the party, from what Nova could see. He listened to Deric as he explained that the party was his father's idea, that he didn't like drinking and dancing and loud music. Nova wasn't surprised. Deric struck him as the quiet type. He moved very stealthily through the house. "We can't wake my dad up," he whispered. "He'd be furious."

_Sure he would, _Nova thought. But he said nothing.

Deric led Nova to the far side of the apartment, to the room with the sonic washer and dryer, and opened a door on the far side. It led into a tiny closet, with one or two electromag brooms and some other cleaning supplies. He pushed a few things out of the way and began to climb up the ladder behind them. Nova followed him, curious.

He watched as Deric opened a small hatch at the top of the ladder, and seconds later the pair exited into cool night air. Nova looked around to see where he was, although he suspected he knew already.

He and Deric were standing on the roof of the casino. On all sides, Nova could see the endless rooftops, and at the far edge, facing away from them, was the enormous holo-sign. Since it was pointed in the other direction, the rooftop was comparatively dark, but comfortably so.

Deric sat down just under and behind the holo-sign and motioned for Nova to sit next to him, which he did. The younger boy stared out at the buildings, and down at the street. "Not an amazing view compared to some other cities... some other planets... but in Mayman, you won't get a better view than this. I come up here whenever I'm feeling depressed, or lonely, or if I want to think."

He sat hugging his knees contentedly, and Nova leaned back on his arms, looking up at the obscure sky. This was truly the most unique booking he'd ever done. But he liked it.

Deric chuckled. "You know, last night I had a dream about you." He blushed a little.

Nova grinned. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." He closed his eyes. "I dreamed that you came to me, took my hand, and led me off this planet forever. We'd cross from planet to planet, from system to system, and never look back. We'd even..." He paused. "We'd even see the stars."

Nova looked at him. "You've never seen the stars, have you?"

Deric shook his head. "You don't find many kids on Viking who've seen the stars. At least, not for real. Someday, that's what I want to do. I want to go up there, see every star there is to be seen."

Nova leaned forward. "I think I understand you, kid."

"I'm glad." Deric smiled again. "I've lived my whole life on Viking. I was born here... right here, at the top of this casino. I never knew my mother, though... My dad says she died in childbirth."

Nova frowned. "I'm sorry..."

Deric shook his head. "Nothing to be sorry for. I never knew her, right? And anyway, that's all history. Why bother being preoccupied with the past? It's already been done, nothing's going to change it. It's the future you need to worry about." He glanced at Nova. "I guess I'm kind of boring, huh? You probably came here expecting to... well..."

Nova shook his head vigorously. "I'm having the time of my life, Deric. And I'm here for you, not for me. So don't you worry about me."

Deric chuckled. "I can't help it." He looked back out to the horizon. "You know, I imagined all sorts of things about what you'd be like. Rugged, you know... been-there-done-that type. And attitude. I imagined you'd be the kind of guy that could win a fight with just one look."

Nova laughed. "And am I all those things? What do you think of me?"

Deric shook his head, smiling. "You're better. You seem... you just seem nice, I guess. And that's better than everything else. I never imagined you'd be so easy to talk to... I mean, look at me. Here I am talking about my childhood, my mother..."

"It's all right," said Nova.

"Yeah, I guess. But I can't help myself sometimes. There aren't many people around here to talk to, unless you count the drunks... and the ones who've lost all their money... but I wonder sometimes why people come to Viking. To Mayman. What do they want? Money, sure, but for what? To make more money? To go to another casino? Or do they want to do something really... meaningful? But I don't know." He shook his head. "Living here, bound to the ground, I don't really know what I'm after in life. But I've always felt different, you know? Like I'm not supposed to be here. I don't know what I really want..."

"Freedom?" said Nova.

Deric looked around to him, and the two locked eyes for the first time. His eyes were silver, and his and Nova's danced like a fire in the light rain. There was something that passed between them, but it wasn't lust. It wasn't something physical. It was something else. And after a few seconds, Nova knew what to call it: understanding.

Deric bit his lower lip, leaning forward ever so slightly. Nova found himself doing the same, and their faces began to inch their way towards each other, one boy who'd never seen the dark side of space, and another who'd seen entirely too much. Their lips drew closer and closer together, and Nova felt something else happen inside him, something else he didn't expect. But he didn't want to put a name to it now, he just wanted to be here, with this boy, and he half-closed his eyes as Deric moved toward him, inch by inch, second by beautiful second. Nothing in the world could ruin this now.

And in a split second, the light was gone.


	3. Chapter 3: The Nelson

**NOVA**

**Chapter 3 - The Nelson**

* * *

**July 28th, 1177 NC, 1:34 a.m.** Nova blinked in the sudden blackness. It was so completely dark that he couldn't see his hand in front of his face. He blinked again, trying to help his eyes adjust to the sudden loss of illumination. 

Inches away, he heard Deric's rapid breathing. He glanced around himself, looking for a source of light, noting that the casino's holo-sign had been turned off. He felt uneasy. Something was very wrong.

"What's happening?" he asked Deric, and he could feel the sixteen-year-old trembling.

"I don't know," he said. "They never shut off the holo-sign. Maybe there's a problem with the power generators."

The idea was reassuring, but the younger boy's voice wasn't. The both of them stood up, looking around for any signs of what had happened. Now that their eyes were better adjusted to the dark, they could see a little by the faint light of the cars, hover-cars and streetlights twenty-one stories below.

Nova glanced over the edge, and his expression changed dramatically. "There are Fed hover-cars down there!"

There came a sharp gasp from the other boy, and the next thing Nova knew, something passed through his mind.

_'no that cant be they couldnt have figured it out so quickly is dad going to be busted'_

He froze, blinking, and shook his head vigorously. Deric, meanwhile, had hurried to his side and looked over the edge, seeing the Federation vehicles and the uniformed officers stepping out. "What are they doing here?" he said, trying to hide his obvious anxiety.

"I don't know," Nova replied, "but I don't like it. I think we should get out of here."

"Why?" he asked. "What's going on?"

"I told you, I don't know. But I've got a gut feeling, and whenever I have a gut feeling, I listen to it." He started in a hurry back toward the ladder, but promptly froze as, once again, he had a strange thought echo in his head.

_'i dont want to leave i dont want to go anywhere let me stay here please'_

He hesitated, and then turned slowly around, looking back at Deric, who hadn't moved. "Did you just say something?"

The boy shook his head, a puzzled look crossing his face. "No."

Nova shook his head again, pulling himself back to the task at hand. "Whatever. Let's go! The Feds are probably in the building already!"

"Why can't you just leave me here?" Deric said. "You go ahead. I'll stay."

"No. Whenever the Feds show up, it means trouble, and the best place to be is somewhere else."

"But I... I don't want to go anywhere!"

"I know that," said Nova, frustrated, "but we'll come back after they're gone. I promise. And I can keep you safe."

_'but what about dad'_

"He'll be okay," said Nova. "Your dad can take care of himself. Right now, we need to worry about us!"

Deric's eyes widened slightly. "I didn't say anything about my dad, Nova."

Nova was at a loss for words, but before he could even begin to understand what had happened, a bright light shone at them from the direction of the ladder, and he had to shade his eyes. He backed away several paces, rendered half-blind by the light. He stumbled around for a few seconds, and then he felt a pair of hands roughly grab his wrists, forcing them behind his back. Deric cried out; they'd gotten him, too. He felt his wrists being bound, and then one of the hands grabbed him roughly by the collar.

A second later, the light went out, to be replaced by the dim beams of a pair of flashlights, piercing the corners of the rooftop. Nova's eyes quickly readjusted, and he saw Harrison, in his robe, appearing at the top of the ladder. Standing around the hole were four Federation agents, two of them holding the flashlights, one standing next to the empty shell of a flash-bomb, and the last eyeing the two captive boys with his arms crossed and a satisfied look on his face behind a thick moustache. Another uniformed Fed was holding Nova's collar, and a sixth was holding Deric's. The younger boy had a few tears running down his cheeks, and he was trembling violently.

"So, Mr. Harrison," said the man with the moustache, "these are the ones you were tellin' us about?"

Harrison nodded nervously, avoiding eye contact with either him or the boys.

"Hmph," said the officer. "So here's our famous boy-whore. Nova, was it?" He strolled over, ever so casually, to stand before the seventeen-year-old. Nova's eyes were gleaming with hatred as he scowled at the man, who raised an eyebrow. "Got yourself all smug, now, didn't you? Didn't think you'd ever get caught."

Nova snarled. "Only 'cause you fucks are too busy to look under your fat noses."

"Got quite a mouth, too," said the man. "Yeah, you boys were runnin' a pretty good gig there, now weren't you? Well, we got the ringleader now, don't we?" He chuckled. Most of the other officers laughed along with him.

Nova fought to maintain his facial expression. The Feds didn't even know about Cosmo. They thought it was all Nova's doing. A wild laugh nearly escaped his lips. Instead, he glanced at one of the other officers. "Yeah, I'm sure you're real proud of yourselves. Hey, I think I recognize your second-in-command there. Have to see his cock to make sure."

The second-in-command said nothing, but it was obvious by the look on his face that he was having a hard time restraining himself. The officer with the moustache was the one to speak. "Now, that's enough out of you! Little prick. Few dozen years in a jail cell ought to do you some good."

"Ah, fuck you."

"I said that's enough!" His already menacing expression darkened. Nova said nothing more, deciding it would be wiser to remain silent at this point.

The commander glanced over at Deric, whose braided hair was trapped against his neck from the Fed's grip. "So this is our telepath," the man said, eyeing the boy warily. "Nice and young, too. We can't be having telepaths runnin' free around here. Dangerous to the general public, don't you know."

_'what is he talking about im not a telepath'_

Nova shuddered as the thought barged into his mind, leaving again as quickly as it had come. He stared strangely at Deric, wincing at the pain in his wrists.

"I'm not a telepath!" said Deric.

"Now, now," the man replied. "We know all about your Vell-Os mother. You ain't hiding nothing from us tonight."

_'mom was a vell-os why didnt dad tell me'_

"My mom wasn't a Vell-Os!" said Deric, almost desperately. "She... she died when I was born! Dad!" He stared pleadingly at his father. "Dad, tell them! Mom wasn't a Vell-Os!"

But Harrison said nothing. He stood where he was, looking at the duracrete beneath his slippers.

"Dad? It's-it's not true! Tell them!"

Still, Harrison was silent. He turned away, looking out over the side of the rooftop. The commander, however, waved his hand. "I've had enough of this shit for tonight, boys. Let's get these two little jerks away."

_'he wont say anything why wont he say anything its not true'_

"Dad!!" Tears were streaming down Deric's face now as he begged his father. "Dad, tell them! Help me, Dad!"

"I..." croaked Harrison, his throat dry. "I'm sorry, son. They... they would have... I'm sorry, Deric, they were going to..."

"Now, Mr. Harrison," said the commander, tugging at his moustache. "We've got a deal, you remember? Don't go saying anything you might regret." He glanced at the other men. "Well? What're you waiting for? Get them out of here!"

Nova felt himself pulled roughly towards the ladder, and he stumbled, struggling, as the officer forced him forward.

Deric's voice was meek as he spoke, pushed along at the same time. "Dad, why? Why didn't you tell me?" His teary face and bloodshot eyes contorted in anger. "_Why didn't you tell me the truth?!" _

But it was to no avail. Harrison made no movements as his son was dragged away and pulled down the ladder, and promptly vanished from sight, pleading, crying, shouting in fury, and Nova was dragged after him, his own features twisting into a look of rage toward Harrison before he disappeared as well. Several more minutes, and everything was silent.

Harrison watched the sky, the endless black of the clouds struck by the light of cities far away. He turned around, looked at the landscape of rooftops that lay before him. He looked down, watching for a while as the officers appeared in front of the building, forcing their quarry into the hover-cars and then pulling away, heading for the spaceport platform. A single tear rolled from his eye to his chin.

"Goodbye, son," he whispered.

* * *

**July 28th, 1177 NC, 2:45 a.m.** In orbit above the planet Viking, refueling at the spacedock nearby, the prison ship _Nelson_, a slightly modified Fed Destroyer, overlooked the planet's dark surface like a coming storm. Fortunately for Viking, the Destroyer was preparing to leave the system, carrying two new passengers to their more permanent new "home" on the Earth's surface. 

In a lonely, isolated cell on the bottom deck, Nova and Deric tried to make sense of what was happening to them. Deric lay sprawled on the only bed, which was nearly rock-hard and cold as space. His eyes were red, his face was pale, and he played unconsciously with his long braid as he stared at the ceiling. Nova, leaning on the wall nearby with his arms crossed, was thinking silently.

There was no porthole, and there was no chrono, so neither of them had any sense of how long it had been since they were dragged into the dim cell. All they knew for sure was that they hadn't yet departed from the spacedock. At least, that was what they thought. Nova figured that considering they were so deep in the ship's belly, they'd hear the enormous engines powering up.

Deric sighed. Nova looked over at him. He looked tired… He looked afraid. _He doesn't deserve all this, _he thought. _He's just a kid._ But then Nova took a good look at himself, realizing that he was only a year older. When had the time come when he no longer thought of himself as a kid? How long ago had he lost that sense of blissful innocence?

"Try and sleep," said Nova. "Something tells me we're not going to a hotel."

"I can't," Deric said weakly. "I just… I can't."

Nova looked back at the wall, running his index finger along the cold metal, eyeing the layer of dust that formed on the tip. "Why didn't you tell me you were a telepath?" he said.

Deric closed his eyes, wincing in pain and putting a hand to his forehead, which sported a sizeable bruise. "I'm not a telepath. They're lying. Dad… he was lying, too. I know it. I can't read minds. I don't want to read minds."

_'i dont want to be a slave'_

Nova glanced sharply at Deric. "I heard that. A slave?"

Deric sniffed, biting his lower lip. "I didn't say anything."

"No, but you thought it." The older boy walked over to the bed, crouching beside it. "I get it now. Maybe you can't read anyone else's minds, but you can make your thoughts heard by other people."

"What?" said Deric, sitting up and wincing again. "You can hear me in your head?! How is that possible?"

"No," replied Nova. "It's not your voice. But I'm definitely getting your thoughts... I think you can influence people to think the same thing you're thinking."

"But that doesn't make any sense!" said the sixteen-year-old. "Nobody's ever brought it up before! And I don't do it on purpose!"

Nova paused for a moment at that. "All right," he said, "so it happens by accident. Every time it's happened so far, it's been at a time when you're really afraid. Maybe that fear makes you do it. Maybe you just... lose control."

He stood, beginning to pace the small cell. "But think about it this way: if that happens by accident, what if you tried to do something on purpose?"

"What? What do you mean?"

"Try it," said Nova eagerly. "Try... uh... I don't know, try _thinking _something at me."

Deric sighed, closing his eyes, and yet another thought ran through Nova's head.

_'this isnt going to work'_

Nova grinned. "Yes it is! It worked!"

Deric's eyes went wide. "You mean I really am... my mother was really a..." He slumped back on the bed. "Mom... she was really a Vell-Os, wasn't she?"

Nova's smile disappeared, and he sat down next to Deric. For a while, he didn't know what to say. The younger boy just lay there, a blank look across his face. He looked like he was lost in his thoughts. Nova cleared his throat. "Uh... if we get out of this – alive, I mean – you can stay with me, if you want."

Deric's eyes met his own. "Thank you... but there's nothing we can do, is there? We're really trapped. And I..." he swallowed. "Nova, I don't want to be a slave."

"What are you talking about?" the older boy replied. "What makes you say that?"

"That's what the Federation does... what the Bureau does... with telepaths."

Nova's eyes narrowed. "The Bureau... I've heard that name before."

Deric sniffed. "My dad knows all about it. The Bureau of Internal Investigation, it's called. They're the ones who are really running the Federation. They're sick... twisted... evil. They enslave telepaths and make them do their dirty work."

Nova looked at his feet. "I'd heard something like that... I didn't really believe it."

"Well, believe it. And that's what's going to happen to me once this ship gets wherever it's going." He sat up again and hugged his knees.

"No way," said Nova. "We're going to get out of here, somehow. And then we'll head back to the Kane Band, you and me. I've got a friend back there, and we can buy a ship to-"

He stopped in mid-sentence, blinked, and then lowered his head. "Shit..."

"What? What is it?"

"Your dad was supposedly going to pay a huge fee for having me over. I see why now... God, I'm such a dumbass." He shook his head. "Whatever. So it'll take a little longer to find a ship. But we can do it, Deric! You, me and Iris. Right?"

Deric, the lower half of his face still hidden between his knees, nodded hesitantly.

Then, the ship swayed slightly, and there were hissing sounds as the recharge clamps detached from the station on the spacedock. Floating on its own inertia, it drifted several dozen meters away from the structure before the engines began to kick in. Then, with a roar, the twin Thorium-powered thrusters fired up, and the boys felt a jolt as the craft began to fly out to a safe distance.

"Looks like we're going," said Nova. "We need to think of something."

"What can we do?" replied Deric. "We're trapped in here! There's an electric force field between us and freedom, and the ship is full of Fed officers. What are we going to do? Beg?"

Nova frowned. "Well, we won't get anywhere with that attitude." He glanced around himself. "All right, maybe we can-"

"Shh!" said Deric, holding a hand to his ear. "I hear something."

Nova listened too, and sure enough, there was a sound coming from somewhere nearby. "What is that?" he said. "It sounds like a siren."

"An alarm," Deric agreed. "What's going on?"

He soon got his answer. Seconds later, there was a loud bang, and the _Nelson _rocked violently, sending Nova and Deric sprawling to the floor. A second bang, and the ship lurched again, and Nova smacked hard against the wall, while Deric sailed across the cell, screaming.

The Destroyer leveled itself again, and Nova pulled himself painfully to his feet. Deric was trying to do the same. "What was that? What's going on?" he yelled.

"The ship's being attacked," said Nova. "Someone outside doesn't like the Federation much. Brace yourself, kid. This is just getting started." He sounded a lot more confident than he felt.

Deric grabbed a hold of one of the bed's legs, which were bolted to the floor. Nova did the same, preparing himself for another impact. It came seconds later, more violent than either of the others had been. The boys held on for dear life as the Fed ship sustained the hit.

The ship leveled out again, and Deric pointed at the door. "Nova! The force field!"

Nova looked. The field was flashing on and off rapidly, and he could see miniature lightning bolts in the generators on the other side. "They must have hit the rear power node," he yelled as the humming sound of malfunctioning electronic equipment got louder and louder. There was a flash of light, and Nova shielded his eyes as the generators exploded, sending sparks into the corridor. The field went out in an instant.

Nova looked, and then tugged at Deric's arm. "Come on! It won't be long before the backup node comes online! We need to get out while we can!"

The younger boy didn't need telling twice. He bolted toward the door, with Nova hot on his heels. He tripped, tumbling out of the cell, and Nova fell out on top of him, looking back to watch as the backup power node kicked in. The field came back online, guarding an empty cell.

Nova looked around himself. The long corridor led off to their right. "Come on!" he said. "They'll be busy with whoever's attacking us! Now's our chance!"

Deric hesitated for a second, and then followed the older boy down the hallway.

Nova glanced around the corners, looking for Fed officers. None were in sight. The ship lurched again, but it was much less violent this time. "They've gotten the shields up," he said. "Come on, there's not much time."

He looked both ways again, and headed left, down a short path that veered off toward the bow. He checked around the new corner for Federation officers, but there were none.

"There might be something this way," he said to Deric, who was right behind him, trembling violently. "Maybe we can figure out where the escape pods are."

"All right," said Deric.

_'i dont like this what if we get caught'_

"We won't get caught," said Nova. "You're getting scared again. Be brave!"

Deric bit his lip, nodded. Slowly, he stopped trembling, and Nova rounded the corner, dashing along the corridor while glancing around to try and find a computer terminal. The hallway led forward, dangerously close to the bridge, but still Nova saw nobody approaching, so he continued on.

Finally, he rounded yet another corner, and saw an access panel mounted on the wall. He started typing things in furiously, all the while keeping an eye open. The ship trembled intermittently as the Destroyer battled whatever was outside. Deric looked out of a nearby porthole to see what was happening. A second later, he beckoned to Nova. "Come quick! Take a look at this!"

Nova hurried over, glancing out into the fray. He saw the static glow of the ship's shields, which brightened every so often as the enemies' weapons impacted against them. Then, off to the left, Nova saw an enormous, dark grey ship. It looked a little like a packing crate, attached to an array of six enormous engines, propelling it slowly along. It was releasing Viper and Thunderhead fighters into space, each the same grey colour, as it fired it's own heavy lasers and radar missiles.

"Mother of Sirius," Nova whispered. "That's a Pirate Carrier."

"A what?" said Deric.

"It's the king beast of all Pirate ships. It's even more powerful than the Manticore. This Destroyer doesn't stand a chance."

Deric's eyes went wide. "Oh, shit! Does that mean..."

Nova bolted back over to the console, pressing more buttons. "If I can find a map, we can get to the escape pods. We need to get off this ship while its shields are still up." He pressed a few more buttons, scanning the screen carefully.

They then heard footsteps and a voice around the corner. "I said, the rear power node blew out and the prisoners escaped!" The voice paused. "Yes, they're online, but they didn't go up quick enough. I'm searching now."

Nova flattened himself against the wall, and Deric did the same. The footsteps drew nearer, and Nova prayed that Deric wouldn't let one of his thoughts loose. They'd both be doomed if he did.

Then he had a flash of inspiration. "Deric!" he whispered. "You can control his surface thoughts! Make him ignore us!"

The younger boy, who was trembling again, narrowed his eyes as he tried to understand. Then a look of comprehension passed his face, and he closed his eyes. Seconds later, Nova had a thought forced upon him.

_'theres no point going around that corner its a dead end they wont be there'_

The footsteps didn't stop, but they slowed down slightly. Nova nodded encouragingly, and Deric closed his eyes again.

_'its a waste of time they are probably gone by now'_

The man stopped, inches away from the corner, and presently they heard him hurry in the other direction, talking again on his comlink.

Nova breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the younger boy. "You know, you're really handy sometimes." He turned back to the panel. "I think I nearly had it... there!" A schematic of the _Nelson _appeared on the screen. Nova pointed. "We're here, starboard side, close to the stern. The escape pods are portside." He glanced at another corner, and looked again in horror. "The ship's shields are down below twelve percent! We need to hurry or we'll be toasted along with this hulk!"

They glanced around the corner, ensuring that the man was gone. They saw nothing, only a long stretch of hallway leading to the empty wall from whence they had come. Nova bolted down the hallway, with Deric right behind him. He could hear alarms sounding throughout the ship, informing the crew of the situation, just in case they didn't know.

"SHIELD INTEGRITY AT TEN PERCENT AND FALLING," it said.

Nova finally reached the left turn and rounded the bend, only to run full-tilt into the Fed officer. They both tumbled to the ground, and the Fed was winded for a few brief seconds, which was enough for Nova to get up and pull Deric after him. "Stop!" they heard from behind them. "Stop in the name of the Federation!"

Nova wasn't about to stop. He ran at top speed down the corridor, clinging desperately to Deric's sweaty hand. They passed the door to the brig, and kept on running. A second later, a hand-blaster bolt fried a spot on the wall not too far away, and Nova ducked his head as he rounded the portside corridor, heading for the front of the ship. He could hear the footsteps of the pursuing officer on their tails.

Nova's head began to pound, and he felt sweat dripping down from his hair to his eyes. Deric, behind him, was panting heavily, though he knew better than to stop. Nova's legs were going numb and his feet hurt, but he was sure that if he took a hit from the blaster, it would hurt much more.

The pursuing officer rounded the corner and began firing wildly at the boys, all the while yelling at them to stop. A bolt zipped past Nova's head, singing some of his wavy, brown locks. The smell of burnt hair invaded his nostrils, but he kept running, watching for the door to the escape pod bay.

"SHIELD INTEGRITY AT FIVE PERCENT AND FALLING," came the robotic warning voice, echoing with their footsteps in the hallway.

Up ahead, Nova finally spotted the corridor that led to the escape pods. By now, with the added incentive of the hand-blaster, Deric was running abreast of him, and saw what Nova was looking at. The two of them began to run even faster, the trigger-happy Federation officer no more than eight paces behind them

"SHIELD INTEGRITY AT FOUR PERCENT."

They rounded the final bend, heading portside and toward the door. Nova was dismayed to see that it was shut. If they stopped now, they'd be dead meat, either from the ship's explosion or by virtue of that hand-blaster.

_'shoot the door on full power'_

At once, Deric shoved Nova to one side of the hallway, while he ran on the other. The laser bolt flashed between the two of them, impacting in a miniature explosion with the door. The smoke quickly cleared, and as they drew nearer, Nova could see the incinerated remains. _Way to go, Deric, _he thought.

"SHIELD INTEGRITY AT THREE PERCENT."

The two boys practically dove through the now-empty doorway, red warning lights flashing around them. The bay was yet another long corridor, lined on both sides with the access hatches to the escape pods, which connected to tubes that ejected the pods out of the side of the ship and into space. Nova shoved Deric into the nearest pod, preparing to climb in after, jumping up and forward.

"_Aaaaahhh!"_

He felt a searing pain the back of his right shoulder. The officer had landed a hit, and though the hand-blaster was no longer on full power, Nova felt the seared flesh of his shoulder burn white-hot. He tumbled the rest of the way into the pod and collapsed on the floor just as Deric slammed the hatch closed. They heard another laser bolt impact against the metal, but the younger boy was already activating the pod's launch sequence.

"SHIELD INTEGRITY AT TWO PERCENT."

Nova, his vision clouded by the pain in his shoulder, felt the hissing of the tubes as they were carried through the shaft and towards the outer hull of the ship. He heard the man's cry of dismay, more blaster fire, and then they were moving, being shoved forcefully through the hatch. Through his bleary vision, he could see the stars through the small window. The little pod's com unit crackled.

"SHIELD INTEGRITY AT ZERO PERCENT. HULL INTEGRITY AT EIGHTY-TWO PERCENT AND FALLING."

Nova knew that against the Pirates' weapons, the hull wouldn't last long. "Deric," he said, gritting his teeth as he pushed himself to a sitting position and clutched his shoulder. "Get this thing as far away from that Fed ship as possible! It'll be blown to pieces any minute!"

The younger boy looked uncertainly at the controls, eyeing the labels. Nova looked out of the window. He could see the Destroyer, flames erupting from the sides as it was repeatedly beaten by the Carrier and its miniature armada.

"SHIELD I--TEGRI--ERO PERCENT. HULL--ORTY-SIX PERC--ALLING."

The distorted intercom was failing as the _Nelson _took hits over and over. Forty-six percent. They were nowhere near far enough away from the vessel. Nova turned and frantically pointed at one of the controls, labeled 'thrusters.' "That one!" he said sharply. "Push it and hold it down!"

Deric did, and Nova fell backwards as he felt the craft lurch and curve around, pulled by the gravity of the planet. They were heading straight for the surface, but the pod was still picking up its speed, and they remained dangerously close to the Fed ship. They could no longer hear the intercom, and the window was no longer facing the doomed vessel, but the pod was already beginning to rock slightly from the force of the constant blasts behind them. Nova looked up. "Hold on to something, and _don't let go!!"_

And the _Nelson _exploded.

The two boys were tossed around inside the tiny cabin of the escape pod as the shockwave rolled the craft over and over. Over the concussive sound of the detonation, all Nova could hear were screams, those of Deric and those coming from his own throat.

He managed to look up and out of the window. One second he saw stars, and a moment later he saw the bright orange flames that used to be the _Nelson. _Then he could only see Viking, the night side magnifying at an alarming speed. "We're going to crash!" said Nova. "Brace yourself!"

The pod buffeted again as it made its first impact on the atmosphere, and Nova could see the flames outside the window as it plunged lower and lower, making its way to the scarred surface of the planet through the thick, polluted gases. Chemicals in the air caused miniature explosions that rocked them around as they plunged lower and lower. "Hold on!" yelled Nova. "We're almost through!"

Finally, the pod emerged on the other side of the chaotic atmosphere. It's engines sputtered once, twice, and then failed, and it began a free fall straight toward the ground. Nova watched out the window, seeing as Viking quickly got closer, and closer still.

_This is it, _he thought, and grasped Deric's hand tightly, shutting his eyes tight.

* * *

**July 28th, 1177 NC, 4:18 a.m.** The first thing Nova felt was a sharp pain in the side of his head. Then he felt another, the familiar dull burn in his shoulder. He then realized he was aching all over, and felt around himself, trying to get up. He failed, falling back to the grass. 

Grass? This was land! They'd made it! He tried to look around, and saw stars flash by his eyes from the pain. He rested his forehead against the dark green grass, inhaling deeply. It smelled polluted, disgusting. But it was alive, just like him. He'd survived,

A few minutes later, he pushed himself up to a sitting position, rubbing his head tenderly, pulling his hand away and eyeing the blood on his palm. A scratch. Nothing too serious. He looked to his left. He saw the remains of the escape pod. It was worse for wear but had maintained the same general shape it had been before. _Hey, _he thought, _this is the kind of thing those pods were designed for._

He then looked to his right. Sitting atop a small hill some distance away, Deric hugged his knees once more, as he had on the ship. His long braid was tossed about by the light breeze. Up in the sky, the endless black of the clouds continued on and on. Not too far in the distance, he could see a city.

He walked over to join Deric, sat next to him. The younger boy leaned his head on Nova's left shoulder. They sat like that for several minutes, trying to take in the last few hours. Finally, Nova spoke. "How long was I out?" he said.

Deric shrugged. "Since the crash. Maybe an hour. I don't know."

"You didn't get knocked out?"

"Almost." He wriggled closer to the older boy, feeling his warmth. "I nearly banged my head on the wall. But you got in the way. You're a good safety cushion." He giggled, and Nova, despite himself, had to chuckle too.

They stared for a while at the night lights of the city. "It's Mayman," said Deric. "I recognize it. We're back home... well, my home." He paused. "What are we going to do now?"

Nova shrugged. "Find a way to get to the Kane Band, I guess. Earth."

"But then what?"

He shrugged again. "I don't know." He was quiet for a few more seconds. "Your dad was breaking a few laws at that casino, wasn't he?"

Deric sighed, and nodded. "I don't know exactly what, but it had something to do with something called the Guild of Free Traders, whatever that is."

Nova bit his lip. "The Guild... They're the most dangerous group of pirates on this end of the galaxy." He sighed. "Well, that explains why the prison ship was attacked."

"How?"

"The Guild must have thought your dad had been arrested, and didn't want him to start talking, leaking secrets. They operate like that."

A dark look crossed Deric's face. "But we were up there instead... huh. He didn't want to go to jail, so he turned me – _us – _over to the Feds instead."

Nova was surprised at how little emotion revealed itself in his voice. He sounded as though his mind had been numbed, open to nothing but fact. And since the seventeen-year-old couldn't think of anything to say, they were silent again. The breeze picked up, mingling Deric's hair with Nova's own. Little bits of grass, uprooted from the crash, drifted by them, brushing their faces and their necks. And finally, Deric spoke, the nasty scowl replaced by a dreamy look.

"I saw them."

"What?"

He grinned. "I saw the stars. I saw a whole lot of stars, white and yellow and blue and red... I felt like they were all there. I'm a boy from Viking who's seen the stars."

Nova chuckled. "Yeah. I saw them, too."

"They were beautiful?" The older boy nodded, and he sighed. "I wonder how many there are."

"Too many to even think about counting," said Nova.

"The hell with counting," replied Deric. "I want to go see them. See them all."

Nova inhaled and exhaled deeply. Then he stood, and Deric stood with him. Both winced at their respective injuries, but the feeling passed, and they stood looking out on Mayman, the second-largest city on Viking.

"We should get going, in that case," said Nova. "Looks like a long walk into the city."

"And even longer to the casino," Deric agreed.

Nova looked at him strangely. "Why the casino?"

The younger boy grinned mischievously. "Tell me, Nova, how much exactly did my dad say he was going to pay you?"

Nova paused, examining his new friend. "You're not serious, are you?"

Deric laughed. "Why not? A deal is a deal, and my dad didn't pay up. And hey, I know everything about the place, including where he keeps his Stellar Trust bank card. And believe me, he has a lot of credits in there."

Nova stared at him for a long while. Then he burst out laughing, and Deric joined in. They collapsed on the ground, laughing for a good ten minutes before Nova sat up, wiping the tears from his face. "You know," he said, "I think you and I are going to get along fine."

"I couldn't agree more," Deric replied. "But I... well..." He hesitated.

"What?" said Nova. "What is it?"

Deric met the older boy's eyes. "I want to... I want to find out about my mother. I want to find out who she was. And... I want to find out what I'm capable of. Make her proud. Maybe someday, I could... I could be just as good as a real Vell-Os."

Nova eyed him for a few seconds, and then smiled. "Well, why not? After we get off this rock, the galaxy is ours to explore."

Deric's eyes lit up. "You mean it? You really mean it?"

"Of course," said Nova. "I owe you one. Twice back there you saved our hides. You and me should stick together."

Deric stood again, putting his hands on his hips. "Well, then, let's get going, partner."

Nova stood, too. "Right on."

And together, they started the long hike to Mayman City, leaving the escape pod on the lonely plain behind them, the only remaining icon of an imperfect time.


	4. Chapter 4: Starbridge

**NOVA**

**Chapter 4 – Starbridge  
**

* * *

**July 31st, 1177 NC, 12:49 p.m.** The Kane Band was as busy as ever, except now there were more uniformed Federation officers patrolling the spacedock. Ever since the news drifted in that the prison ship _Nelson _had been destroyed by pirates, the Feds had been on high alert. It was well-known that pirate activity in the region had been increasing; the government knew this as well as any space-faring citizen did. But this was the first time they'd attacked a Federation ship, especially with such a strong force. 

Now that they had destroyed the military vessel, the bluecoats saw it as a personal declaration against the laws of the Federation – unlike the constant attacks on civilian ships in the sector – and the response had been swift. Fed ships were now combing every part of their space for pirates, from the inner worlds to the Auroran frontier. The Tichel system, of course, was excepted, considering it was so close to the heart of the Federation that searching there didn't make any sense. That, and Viking still had many raw minerals that were ripe to extract.

Nobody expected pirates to be operating out of Viking, anyway.

The spacedock rumbled as an enormous Federation E-60 Carrier began to lift off, followed by its destroyer escorts. Nearby, three Patrol Boats were landing to refuel. It wouldn't be long before they took off again to explore yet another system in yet another quadrant of Federation space.

Some distance away, from an alley between the Lubritorium and the outfitter's, a small, pale face watched all the Fed ships in mixed awe and fear. Deric tugged his black hood lower over his head, wrapping the attached cloak around himself for warmth.

Living on Viking, the Kane Band had been nothing but a story in his childhood. Stories his father had told him, about daring escapes and profitable raids. Being here now, Deric decided that the Kane Band wasn't what he had envisioned it to be. But maybe that was because of all the warships that were just sitting around, waiting to pounce.

He pulled a small card from his back pocket. The name read 'Bertrand Amator,' and next to the name was his own picture, long, white hair and all. There was a slew of fictitious information beneath the equally fictitious name.

He didn't like using fake identification, but he saw Nova's point. "Right now, the Feds think we died along with that ship," he had said. "If they keep thinking that, it's good for us. New names and new information, and they'll never know it's us!"

Deric turned the fake pilot's licence over and over in his hand. Shiny, plastic, brand new. He'd never needed any form of identification back on his home. He'd never even left the city before. And now, here he was, on the Kane Band, light-years away from his old home on Viking.

He leaned against the duracrete wall of the Lubritorium, thinking about his father. The man had always treated him so well, as if there was nothing more important than his son's happiness. Why, then? Why did he tell the Feds about his telepathic gift? And why didn't he tell Deric?

He didn't have much more time to think about it. Nova walked swiftly around the outfitter's the next minute, sporting a similar black cloak and hood, and a broad grin. He carried a small pouch in his left hand.

"Did you get it?" said Deric.

Nova nodded, emptying the pouch into his palm. Ten credit chips spilled out, each one worth one hundred thousand credits. "A million credits," whispered Nova. "We'll grab the extra 200,000 I've got saved up, and Iris' stash, and we'll have a million and a quarter!" He pulled a card out of his pocket, this one worn from repeated use, and handed it to Deric. "It was a stroke of genius to go and grab this!"

Deric took it, examining his father's Stellar Bank card. "How are we going to get it back to him?"

Nova narrowed his eyes. "Get it back to him? After what he did to you?"

Deric shrugged. "It's just... he may be a self-important scumbag, but he's still my father."

Nova stared at him for a moment, and then relented. "All right. Well, it shouldn't be too hard. Once we've got our own ship, we'll be able to go anywhere we want to."

Deric nodded, and grinned nervously. "So, where do we go now?"

"The Office," the older boy replied. "That's where Cosmo runs his business."

"All right," said Deric. "Lead on."

Just then, they heard voices talking, young ones, and Nova stole a glance around the corner. A group of boys, one of whom was Jared, was heading into the Lubritorium, talking and laughing. Nova grinned. "Come on, I've got some guys I need to talk to."

He led Deric around the corner and through the door of the smelly old pub, glancing around. He watched as the group of boys picked a table near the back. With Jared, Nova could see now, was Minnik, and two other boys he knew, Atla and Morgan. Atla had the typical wide eyes of a New Babylon native, and was fairly lean and muscular. Morgan had jet black hair and a pale complexion.

Making sure there were no Fed personnel in the bar, he walked over to the group, as Deric followed. He pushed back the hood of his cloak as he walked, running a hand through his hair. _Greasy again_, he thought.

Jared was the first to see him approach, and his eyes went wide. "Nova!" he said loudly, shoving his way past Morgan so he could get out of his corner of the booth. The other boys turned to look, and they then stood, too.

But Nova was holding up his hands. "Shhh! Will you shut up?!" he whispered harshly. "I could be in deep shit if I get caught." He flashed his own fake identification. "If you're going to yell my name, yell 'Mayet,' got it?"

Jared nodded, and then wrapped Nova in a bear hug. "Man, we all thought you ate it on that jail ship!" He released the older boy, wiping what might have been a tear from his left eye. "Everyone was all moody around here! Even Frank had a box of tissues out. And Cosmo was mourning the loss of his future profits. Man, don't scare us like that!"

Nova smiled briefly, and then his expression sobered. "Well, Cosmo can still mourn his profit margin. I'm quitting the business."

Jared, Minnik and Morgan's eyes all went wide, their jaws dropping, and Atla began to choke on his drink. Over the coughing sounds coming from Atla's throat, Jared cleared his throat. "You mean that? You're… you're walkin' out?"

Nova nodded grimly. "I've been on my way out ever since I got here, and I finally got a break…" He pulled Deric around from behind him. "Thanks to this guy here."

Despite their shock, the four boys eyed the sixteen-year-old in obvious admiration. "Damn, Nova!" said Atla, his thick accent leaving his throat in nothing but a whisper. "Where'd you pick up such a cutie?"

Deric blushed, and Nova waved his hand. "Listen, long story short, he's the reason I'm still alive. I'll tell you the whole thing some other time. Right now, I've gotta get out, but I have a few things to do before I go. Where's Iris?"

The boys all shared a look, and none of them looked willing to speak. "What?" said Nova. "Where is he? What's happened?"

Surprisingly, it was Minnik who finally spoke. "After the news got here about the… the accident, Iris got all down, you know? Like the rest of us, but worse. And then Cosmo offered him some weird booking, and he took it, but none of us know where he went. He's been gone since Saturday, and we haven't heard from him."

Nova's expression hardened. "Right," he said. "Right. I'm going to the Office."

"But, Nova!" said Morgan. "Are we ever gonna see you again?"

Nova sighed. "I don't know. I hope so. I'll write. But I need to get going. Iris could be in a really bad spot. Come on, Deric, let's go." The two of them turned toward the doorway, ready to leave.

"Nova," said Jared, and they turned to look at him. For a while, Nova stared into his deep, brown eyes, and he began to realize how many things he'd miss about the business. Jared extended his hand, and spoke softly. "Good luck."

Nova shook it, squeezing the hand gently. "I'll come back," he said. "I'll get you all out of this dump someday."

"Someday," repeated Jared, and he nodded.

Nova turned, wiping his eyes, and headed once again for the door, pulling his hood back over his head. The creak of the door, a swish of the black cloak, and he was gone, with Deric right behind him.

* * *

**July 31st, 1177 NC, 1:14 p.m.** The Office had been quiet that day; with so many Feds around, men were reluctant to stop by. Accordingly, the dingy place was empty when Nova pushed open the door and took a look inside. Frank was no longer behind his desk, but sounds coming from behind Cosmo's door told him that the boss was still there.

He stepped further into the waiting room, allowing Deric some room to walk in behind him. He wrinkled his nose. "_This _is the Office?"

Nova nodded. "Not the most attractive part of the Entertainment District, is it?"

Deric shook his head. "It's gloomy. So where's this Cosmo guy?"

Nova pointed at and presently led the way across to the little door that led to Cosmo's office. He was about to knock, and then remembered what he had come here to do. He sighed. _Old habits die hard,_ he thought.

He opened the door forcefully, and it crashed as it made contact with the wall. Cosmo, who had been typing something on a sheet of lucent, looked up, startled. The rough mat of black hair was almost standing on end, and there were dark circles under his eyes. But his expression brightened as he saw the boy.

"Nova! Nova, my boy!" he cried, rounding the desk and clapping his hands on Nova's shoulders. "We thought we lost you out there! Listen, I just got a great offer from a guy over on Pyrogenesis I…"

"Cut it, Dorgan," said Nova, in a tone even harsher than he had intended.

Cosmo's hands left the boy's shoulders. "What did you just say?"

"You heard me. Cut the crap. I'm getting the fuck out of here." Behind him, Deric crossed his arms, trying to look appropriately tough.

Cosmo gave a curt laugh, casually walking back and sitting on his desk. "Getting out of here, huh? That's what you think you're doin'?"

"I don't 'think' I'm doing anything, Cosmo. I know I'm leaving."

"Yeah?" he replied. "How d'you think you're gonna manage that one, huh? You still got a year or two of business left in you, Nova. You really think I'm gonna just let you walk away? You got another think comin'."

"Last I checked," said Nova, gritting his teeth, "I owe you nothing and I need nothing from you. You've been sending me from one hellhole of a booking to another for nearly four fucking years, and damned if I'm going to put up with it any longer."

"So you're sure about this one? After I took you in from those streets, you're just gonna walk away without so much as a thank you?"

Nova took a menacing step forward. "I told you, I owe you nothing. I'm gonna get my things, and I'm gonna get out."

"With what?" He scowled. "Getting out takes credits, Nova, and let's not forget: I control those credits."

Nova frowned. This much was true. Cosmo was in control of how his boys' money was spent. When a boy earned credits from a booking, the amount was put directly into the boy's account within the business. While Cosmo let them have their own credits, he had to authorize the expenses before they were valid. Without that authorization, the credit chips were useless.

But Nova grinned again. "There's a problem in that equation, Cosmo." He produced the pouch from his pocket. "See this? None of these credits are on record in your files. These are all mine… all ours. And I've got enough here to get out of this fucking business for good." He passed the pouch to Deric, who quickly stowed it away.

Cosmo frowned, thinking it over. "Fine, then." He laughed. "Fucked if I'm gonna stop you. Out there, in that world… you won't get anywhere, Nova, you hear me? You'll get nowhere, and then you'll be crawlin' back on your hands and knees, beggin' me to book you." He crossed his arms. "But frankly, I don't think you'll be leaving just yet. Not without your precious amigo, anyway." He snickered.

Nova's eyes narrowed. "Iris. Where'd you send him?"

Cosmo laughed again, a long, nasty laugh. "You really think I'm gonna give away my only bargaining chip? Hell, I can keep him away as long as I want to… that is, unless you give me those credit chips."

_Fuck, _thought Nova. He was caught. Iris could have been in real danger, and unless he handed over his credits, he might never come back. But handing over his credits would mean he'd be trapped here until Cosmo was done with him, and he might even go so far as to force Deric in, as well.

"Think it over, Nova," warned Cosmo. "Wouldn't want anything bad to happen, would we?"

Nova bit his lip. He couldn't figure out what he could do. He felt as though he was really stuck.

But then, beside him, Deric let out a gasp. He turned frantically to Nova. "Come on! We have to go this second!"

Nova looked at him. "No! We can't! He's got…"

"Just _come on!_" the younger boy urged. "Trust me! We need to get out of here, now!"

Cosmo stood again. "You walk out that door, Nova, and that's it! There's no turning back!"

Nova looked from Cosmo to Deric, back to Cosmo, and then found himself staring deep into Deric's eyes. 'Trust me,' he'd said. And Nova did.

He turned back to Cosmo. "Forget about my things. I'm gone."

"What?" The man's smug look disappeared. "But if you leave, you..."

"You heard what I said, Dorgan. I'm gone."

"Nova, wait!" Cosmo rushed over, the false, uncaring façade dropped. "Listen, I can make you a great deal if you stay. And I'll bring Iris back, I swear I will. Just hear me out!"

"So you can keep using my ass to bring in your profits?" Nova replied. "Well, fuck you very much all the same, Cosmo, but I'm not sticking around any longer." And on that lovely note, the boys turned and left the dismayed Cosmo alone in his office, hurrying past Frank's empty desk and out the front door.

Outside, Nova glared at Deric. "Okay, so what's going on? Please tell me you didn't just eliminate our only chance to find Iris."

"Hardly," said Deric, urging him on as they headed to the transport. "I know exactly where he is. But we need to get moving if we want to get there fast enough."

"What? How do you know? How did you find out?"

There was a gleam in Deric's eyes. "Simple. I read his mind."

Nova stopped dead. "You _what?_"

"Read his mind," replied Deric. "Cosmo obviously wasn't going to tell you anything, so I tried to read his thoughts, and it worked!"

"But..." Nova was nearly speechless. "But how? How did you do it?"

Deric smiled grimly. "I've learned something about telepathy. If it's going to happen, you don't think about doing it. You just _do _it. Like when I put my thoughts into your head. I just picture you thinking the same thing I am, and it happens."

Nova shook his head. "Shit, Deric! You've only been a telepath for a few days!"

"Wrong," he said. "I've been a telepath all my life. I just didn't know it." He glanced toward the drop-off. "Let's get going, though. We need to get a ship and get off the planet, fast."

"Why? What's the big hurry? Where is he?"

Deric's face was grim. "That's just it. He's not there yet. He left three days ago for the Aplix system, planet Lixos."

"Aplix?" repeated Nova. "But that's in the middle of..."

"Auroran space," finished Deric.

Nova slumped against a nearby building, resting his forehead on his arm. "Okay. First thing, we head off to the shipyard and buy ourselves a ship."

"A fast one," said Deric. "Iris is being shuttled off on a Pegasus, so we need something faster than that." He paused. "What's a Pegasus?"

Nova's face lit up. "Holy shit, we might just have a shot at this. The Pegasus is a big fatass of ship, and about as slow as a freighter can get. It'll take a week and a half for it to get as far as Aplix."

"And we can do better?" asked Deric.

An ambitious look crept across Nova's face. "I know just the thing, Deric. Let me tell you about a sweet little thing called a Starbridge..."

* * *

**July 31st, 1177 NC, 2:38 p.m. **One of the few reputable shipyards in the sector, the Kane Band Vessel Emporium was surprisingly busy that day. Nova and Deric dismounted from the transport and found themselves in the middle of complete chaos. Miners, traders and mercenary pilots alike were crowding around, either eyeing this vessel or that, filling out forms, or haggling with a dealer over the price of a ship.

Nova glanced around at the various ships. The shipyard occupied an entire section of the Kane Band, and that didn't even include the space devoted to construction and maintenance. There were enough dealers and other employees to staff a Leviathan, Nova guessed. Glancing around, he actually saw a few Leviathans. They were about a kilometre away, with the other bigger ships and Capital-class Fed ships.

Nova was surprised that there were Fed ships in a public shipyard. _Must need a permit or something to buy one_, Nova thought. He highly doubted that the shady characters he could see browsing the wares of the Emporium would have been able to fly off with a Fed Carrier.

"So, where do we go?" said Deric.

Nova pointed. "Over there. The mid-size ships." He began pushing his way through the crowd, and Deric followed, beginning to feel a little claustrophobic.

The boys hurried across the enormous Emporium, past the countless dealers and pilots, anxious to get off the Band as quickly as possible. The longer they waited, the farther ahead of them that Pegasus would be.

It took them a full fifteen minutes to reach the right section of the shipyard, which was just as crowded. They hurried on past the Valkyries, Thunderheads, Asteroid Miners, and other freighters and fighters. They sped by a pilot arguing about the cost of a Lightning, heard a discussion between traders about a Terrapin. But Nova tuned all of these things out, having only one goal in mind.

Finally, he rounded a cluster of Fed scout ships, and stopped dead as he saw it.

Standing on its four landing struts, the ship was polished to perfection and shining in the light of the sun. But for the patches of carbon fiber and the electrical wiring running across it, the surface was a perfect combination of white and silver, from the arrow-like ship's tapered nose to the twin vectored thrusters in the back. Between the two engines, a Thorium reactor fit snugly, adding power to the ship's beauty.

Nova licked his lips. A Starbridge. Just one. And it would soon be his.

Then he looked around, and his mouth went dry as he saw a dealer talking busily with a mercenary pilot. The pilot looked fairly battle-hardened. He had a large scar on his right cheek, several more on his bare arms, and the knees of his worn-out jeans were torn. He had a tattoo on the back of his hand of a black rose.

Nova glanced at Deric, who nodded. "Yes, he wants to buy it… and he's made a good offer. The dealer is really enthusiastic about this one."

Nova cursed, and looked back at the men. "How much?"

Deric squinted. "800,000 credits. Two hundred grand more than the ship costs."

Nova hesitated for a few seconds, and then nodded resolutely. "Right. We can beat that. Come on."

The two hurried over as innocently as possible to where the men were talking. "I'll have to see your licences, of course," said the dealer, "but I'm sure you have all you need." He laughed nervously.

The pilot nodded silently, pulling the cards out of his pocket. It was now or never.

"Excuse me," said Nova as the boys approached. The pilot glanced expressionlessly at them, while the overweight dealer shot them an annoyed look.

"Can this wait?" he said. "We're in the middle of a transaction here."

"Yeah, that's just what we were hoping to talk about," Nova replied. "How much for this Starbridge?"

"Look," said the dealer, "I'm already in the process of selling this Starbridge, so if you've got something better to do with your time…"

"How much?" Nova repeated, meeting the dealer's eyes.

The man sighed. "Six hundred thousand. Make that eight hundred thousand, if you want to get in over this gentleman here. And I'm sure even the former is a little much for you boys."

Nova glanced at the 'gentleman,' who had said nothing. His face betrayed no sign of emotion whatsoever. He calmly put the cards back into his pocket and folded his arms over his chest.

"Well?" said the dealer. "Will you leave us with our business, please?"

Nova looked back to him. "I can match it."

The dealer laughed out loud. "Sure, kid. Let's see the money first."

Nova shook his head. "Not just yet. Tell me about the ship. What are the specs?"

"Look, I'm really busy…"

"So am I," Nova interrupted. "Give me the specs."

With a sigh, the dealer pulled a folded sheet of lucent from his pocket. "Let's see… Starbridge freighter, class C… Well, for starters, she's used and heavily modified. Thirty tons of cargo space, typical for the make, and sixty-six tons overall for modifications, minus the existing ones. Five-jump fuel capacity… weapons systems--"

"We don't care about the weapons," said Nova. "What about speed?"

The man looked up briefly, rolled his eyes, and then looked back to the sheet. "Hmm… apparently her previous captain put a fair few credits into the engines and subsystems. Almost perfect maneuverability, excellent acceleration… beats out typical Starbridge speed by almost a hundred AU's. This ship will outrun your standard racing Viper, that's for sure." He folded the sheet once more, and crossed his arms. "Now, let's see the money."

Nova nodded and held out his hand, into which Deric deposited the pouch. He reached into the bag, pulling out all but one of the credit chips. _Might as well have one bargaining chip, _he thought, holding out the money to the dealer.

"Nine hundred thousand credits, in hard chips," he said. "Think that might be enough to counter the deal?"

The other customer's eyes narrowed and he nodded silently. Deric, who'd been deciphering what had gone through the man's mind, grinned. _We won, fair and square, _he thought. _The guy knows when to back away. _The mysterious man presently turned, heading away from the Starbridge without a word.

The dealer wasn't even paying attention. His eyes were shining, gazing upon the nine chips in Nova's outstretched palm. "Where did you kids get all those credits?"

Nova sighed. "Look, we're in a hurry, and that's really none of your business, so if you'd like, we can look elsewhere. Or, you can take the money, give us the ship, and go find someone else to bugger into wasting their credits here."

The dealer's mouth was slightly agape as he reached for the credits, but then he shook his head vigorously, and wiped a few beads of sweat off his brow. "Fine, but I need to see your licences."

"With pleasure," said Nova. He'd put another few grand of Harrison's credits into the set of fake identification, and thinking ahead, he'd included a Heavy Weapons licence and a Protective Technologies licence. He pulled these out now, and passed them to the dealer, who eyed them closely.

He then glanced back at Nova. "These are fine, but I still need your Missile Weapons licence."

Nova's heart skipped a beat. "Come again?"

"Yes, I'm afraid I need an MW. Says right here in the papers, if you'd have listened in the first place..." He pulled the sheet of lucent from his pocket once more. "Yes, look: 'Dorsal radar missile launcher requires Missile Weapons licence.'"

_Shit, _Nova thought. _We were so close._

The dealer, meanwhile, glanced around. "Where did... where did my other customer go?" His expression changed to one of anxiety.

"He left to buy a Valk-- uh, another ship," said Deric.

"_What?!_" He rounded on the boys. "You little idiots! You just cost me the sweetest deal of the day, and I can't even take your money without breaking the law!"

"So break the law," said Nova impatiently. They were wasting time.

"Are you crazy? That could cost me my job!" He put his hands to his forehead. "Mother of Sirius... 800,000 credits, gone!"

Nova looked from the dealer to the ship, and then back to the dealer, withdrawing the last credit chip from the pouch and adding it to the pile. "Take it off," he said.

The dealer turned around. "I beg your pardon?"

The boy pointed to the last chip. "An extra hundred thousand to get rid of that missile launcher. We don't want it."

The dealer stared at Nova and the chips in his hand for a long time. Then he pulled out a comlink. "Ingrid," he said. "You reading me? Ingrid!"

They heard a muffled voice on the other end of the link, and then the dealer spoke again. "Damn it, Ingrid, tell him to wait a second!" Another muffled voice. "Just for a few seconds! Tell a tech crew to get down here. Bay 14, section 31. Starbridge. I need a missile launcher removed." He winced as the voice on the other end spoke louder than before. "Yes, yes! Shit... Yes, you heard me right! I want the thing removed. And make it fast."

He shut off the comlink. "You boys are crazy, you know that? Space's dangerous nowadays. That launcher'd come in real handy." He handed the cards back to the boy, along with another sheet of lucent and a stylus. "Just sign your name on the bottom there, and the thing's yours, pending the removal of the missile launcher."

Nova was barely paying attention as he took the sheet. The Starbridge, the ship of his dreams, was almost his. He nearly signed 'Nova' on the lucent, and then remembered who he was supposed to be, scribbling 'Mayet Domson' instead. The dealer took the sheet back, nodding. "Thanks. Ah, there's the tech crew. Good."

While the crew went about removing and dismantling the missile launcher, Nova, who had returned from his daydreams, sat with Deric to plan their route to the Aplix system. Nova was desperately hoping they wouldn't get that far. They spoke quietly, pointing out the systems on Nova's old map.

"Okay," said Nova, "the fastest hyperspace route to Aplix from here is six jumps: Tichel, SPC-050, Wittor, Hope, Pimen, and finally Aplix."

"So if we follow that route, we'll catch up to them, right?"

"Not necessarily," Nova replied. "See, Pegasus ships tend to work for Sigma Shipyards, and if this one does, it could have hypergate clearance." He indicated the Alphara system on the map, just one jump away from their present location in the Sol system. "See, if they jumped here, they could take the hypergate straight to Aurora. From there, Aplix is only two jumps away."

"So what does that mean?"

Nova tapped his chin in thought. "It would have taken a couple of days to get to Alphara... Hypergate travel is instantaneous, so if they did that, they'd probably be en-route to Freya by now."

"Which is only one jump away from Aplix," Deric finished.

The older boy nodded. "Fortunately for us, a Pegasus takes two to three days in hyperspace between systems. If we leave right away and take the quickest route, we might just be able to beat them to Aplix, or at least meet them there."

"If we're lucky," said Deric.

Behind them, the dealer cleared his throat, and the boys looked up. "Your ship is ready, boys."

They briefly looked from him to each other before standing. Nova was trembling slightly with excitement as he looked upon the ship he'd always dreamed of flying, the ship that was destined to carry him away from the brutal life he'd been forced to live for seventeen years. Beside him, Deric telepathically picked up his friend's eager anticipation and grinned. It was a side of Nova he'd had yet to see.

They walked toward their new ship, quickly enough to satisfy their enthusiasm but slowly enough to take in its beauty. The boarding ramp had already been lowered and the tech crew had cleared away. The ship patiently stood waiting for its new captain.

Nova began to walk up the boarding ramp, and then stopped, looking over at the dealer. "Thanks," he said.

The dealer shrugged. "Why thank me? I should be thanking you. Enjoy your new ship, Captain."

Nova grinned. _Captain Nova..._

He turned and followed the boarding ramp the rest of the way into the ship's interior, with Deric just behind him. At the top the ramp led them to a set of stairs leading the other way that brought them higher, until finally they reached a door that led to the ship's interior.

It slid open obligingly as Nova approached. He put a hand on the bulkhead as he glanced around. There were doors at both ends of the narrow corridor to his right and left, and another across from the boarding entrance that read "Engine Room." While Deric wandered portside, Nova followed the hallway in the other direction and wandered through the door, finding himself at the top of a short flight of stairs. He ventured down them to find the spacious cargo bay, with a descending platform on one end for loading and unloading. _Thirty tons, _he thought.

He then heard Deric call him, and he headed back up the stairs and down the corridor to the other end, where Deric waited at the third door. "I found the bedroom," he said, and Nova peered inside. It was a cozy little room, just big enough for the two beds that protruded from the wall. Light shone in through the small porthole on the port side, and there was another door nearby that led to a small washroom.

Nova grinned, and turned back to the corridor, eyeing the hallway branching off near the boarding entrance that led toward the bow of the ship. "Only one room left," he said.

Deric nodded. "Let's go check out your bridge, Captain."

It was a longer hall than Nova expected, which only served to heighten his anticipation. Eventually he reached the door, pressing a button on the panel next to it and watching it smoothly slide open, revealing the ship's bridge. He walked inside and looked around in wonder. The bulkheads and floor were darker, a deep blue colour in contrast to the steely gray of the rest of the ship. The pilot and co-pilot's seats matched the colour, both of which were large and inviting.

Deric crossed the room and sat upon chair to the right, looking curiously at the wide, smooth surface before him. It looked like a control panel, indented in the main assembly and with a glossy black surface, but was devoid of any lights or buttons.

"Where are the controls?" Deric said.

Nova sat in the chair to the left – the captain's seat, he noted with a hint of pride – and examined the panel. "I don't know," he said. He tentatively reached out and touched the surface. The panel responded immediately, lighting up in front of him with a message. The two boys leaned over to read it.

Change of ownership sequence activated.  
Initializing epidermal scan.

A few seconds later, the outline of a human hand appeared beneath the message. Nova reached out, hesitated, and then placed his own palm atop it. The surface beneath his hand lit up brightly for a moment, and then dimmed, and when he removed his palm, the outline had adjusted to its likeness. Then it disappeared, and was soon replaced by the likeness of a clav and, above it, another message.

Epidermal scan sequence complete.  
Enter name of captain.

The indicator light blinked expectantly, awaiting input. Nova glanced at Iris. "I guess this'll make it official." His attention returned to the clav, and he typed his name – his real name – into the system. His finger was trembling slightly as he pressed the button marked "Accept."

For a few seconds, the clav and input message disappeared, but was soon replaced with a new message, confirming that Nova's dream had become a reality:

Declaration of Ownership  
E.S.S. Midnight Pearl

Captain: Nova Etoile  
July 31st, NC 1177  
3:00 P.M.

Deric looked up, grinning. "'_Midnight Pearl,' _huh? I like it!"

Nova stared at the message for several seconds before he spoke, knowing that it was one he'd always remember, right down to the date and time. "Yeah… it's perfect."

The outline of his hand soon reappeared, and Deric sat forward eagerly. "Come on, Nova!" he said. "Let's get out of here and find Iris!"

After a moment, Nova's mind cleared and he nodded. "Right… let's go."

He placed his hand once again atop the outline, and after another moment, the control board lit up completely, a familiar and comforting sight to Nova's experienced eyes. He scanned the panel, familiarizing himself with the sensors, shields, weapons controls, and all the other essential details.

He felt his hands move to the activation controls, and he let his flight instincts take over. The ship soon rumbled in response as the twin Thorium-powered engines ignited and the stabilizers and inertial dampeners came online. Minutes later, the _Midnight Pearl _began to lift off from the crowded shipyard, Nova's expert fingers manipulating the Starbridge freighter and bringing it higher and higher.

He looked at Deric, who looked back briefly, beaming with contained excitement. He then looked out the flight window, first at the stars above them and then down at the Kane Band, still bustling with life and business. He felt a weight being lifted off his shoulders as he watched the Band drift from his view. He thought about Cosmo, the Office, and the Entertainment District. He thought about the crowded starport and the uniformed Fed officers. He thought about Kane's dark and dingy Lubritorium.

And as he plotted the very first hyperspace jump he and the _Midnight Pearl _would ever make, he hoped he'd never have to see them again. _Goodbye, Kane Band_, he thought to himself.

_Hello, freedom._

Within minutes, the Thorium engines roared powerfully and the little Starbridge streaked gracefully into hyperspace.


	5. Chapter 5: Hope

**NOVA**

**Chapter 5 – Hope**

* * *

**August 1st, 1177 NC, 11:18 p.m. **The _Midnight Pearl _drifted gracefully through hyperspace, the stars flashing by like a fireworks display. The blue flames erupting from the thrusters and the spotless surface of the ship itself seemed strangely out of place in the otherwise bleak nothingness. 

They'd been traveling for nearly two days now. They'd arrived in the Tichel system that very morning, immediately changing course and heading off toward the Auroran border. SPC-050. The system was nearly uninhabited, save for an old LP turret station. Appropriate, considering its location.

It was similar on all the Auroran/Federation frontiers nowadays. The little LP stations, which had been inactive for years, were now fully operational and were almost always firing off their low-power railguns at the constant barrage of Fed ships trying to cross through.

And Nova and Deric were headed straight into the middle of the fray.

Nova, lounging in his captain's seat, felt a disgusted look cross his face. The Feds never ceased to amaze him, and yet, there was always that part of his mind that wasn't surprised at all whenever they made their next move. Ever since it had come to power, the Federation had been hunting around ex-Colonial Council space for new systems and worlds to conquer. He was amazed at how blinded the general populace was to the obvious power hunger of their new government.

_Manifest destiny, _he thought. The Feds were the so-called saviours of the sector after all that Council business, and therefore thought that the rest of the galaxy was rightfully theirs for the taking. No wonder this war had sprung up so suddenly. The Aurorans weren't the sort to take that kind of arrogance lightly.

Nova stifled a yawn, keeping a weary eye on the control panel. He was tired. He hadn't slept since they left Earth. The old Kane Band seemed so far away now, and it crept even farther with every passing minute. He was free. He could do anything he wanted. But all he wanted to do was sleep.

Now wasn't a good time, anyway. They'd be arriving in the system within the hour, and he had to be ready to set up the next jump to... to where? Nova couldn't remember. And what day was it? What time? He looked at himself. Had he changed his clothes? If so, why did they look so dirty? And his hair was greasy, too. Had he showered in the past week? And why was his head spinning?

Coffee.

He glanced at the empty mug sitting on the metal surface next to the console. Pulling himself up, he carried the mug over to the rear wall. At first he'd been surprised to find a coffee synth in the cockpit, and then he realized how logical it was. He put the mug down on the platform, pushed a few buttons. It began to fill, the steamy aroma weaving into his nostrils.

He rubbed his forehead. He really shouldn't have been doing this. He was too tired. A little shut-eye was probably just what the doctor ordered. He could already feel his head nodding as he stood waiting for his drink. _Hang in there, _he thought, _just another hour or so._

There was a soft beep as the synth switched off, and Nova gratefully picked up the steaming mug, taking a sip. He walked back over to his seat but remained standing, eyeing the controls on the panel. He wondered if he'd remembered everything when he'd taken off. It had been a while since he'd last piloted a ship. It had taken him some time to remember what everything was for. Fortunately, given the long hours in hyperspace, he'd had plenty of time to familiarize himself with his new pair of wings.

He'd begun to show Deric a few things, too. The younger boy could now operate the two medium blasters just under the nose of the ship. Nova was hoping to get him some target practice, using asteroids or something, when the crisis was over.

His head nodded again, more sharply this time, and he wondered if his coffee was getting cold. He looked down. The mug was empty but for a few drops. _Sleep,_ he thought. _Definitely need sleep. _

Deric had already gone to bed, off in the small quarters on the starboard side. Nova wondered about waking him up, maybe showing him how to make hyperspace jumps, so he could get some shut-eye next time. Not a bad idea.

He glanced at the navigator. They'd come out of hyperspace in twenty minutes. He rubbed his eyes. Why didn't he think of that earlier? Check the navigator. Bloody hell. _More coffee, _he thought.

He sighed, refilled his mug, and headed out of the cockpit and down the short hall. He went through the door, heading around the corner to the right and poking his head into the sleeping quarters, taking a sip of his drink as he did so. Deric was lying on the bed to the right, his head turned away from the door.

Nova tiptoed into the room, sitting down on the other bed, staring over at his telepathic companion. He looked so peaceful when he was asleep. His braid trailed down across the thin comforter. The sight reminded Nova of the first time he'd seen the boy, back in his room on Viking. This time, though, he could just sit there and watch, and the young Vell-Os would sleep on, unaware that anyone else was around.

"How long until we're out of hyperspace?" asked Deric.

_Well, so much for that, _Nova thought. "Twenty minutes, give or take," he replied. "Can't sleep?"

The younger boy turned over onto his other side, shook his head. "It's no use."

"Speak for yourself. I could sleep for the next few hundred light-years."

Deric giggled half-heartedly. "Yeah, well, you don't have anything disturbing to think about."

"Not true," said Nova. "I'm worried about Iris, and the fact that we're headed straight for red space scares me shitless. But then again..." he sighed, took a sip of his coffee. "Then again, I guess I've just learned to deal with it and nod off anyway."

"You mean things just don't bother you?"

Nova bit his lip, moving over to sit on Deric's bed next to the younger boy's blanketed body. He nervously took a sip of his coffee.

Deric stroked his arm lightly. "It does bother you, doesn't it?"

He nodded. "I... well, in my line of work, I've done a lot of things. Bad things. Things I'm not proud of. I used to have nightmares about them, you know, back when I was starting out. But Iris... he was always there afterwards. He was there to laugh with, he could be my shoulder to cry on. And now I'm scared... I don't want to lose him forever."

"You won't." Deric took his hand away. "He's... really important to you, then."

Nova sipped his coffee again, stared obliviously at the opposite wall. "He's more of a brother to me than anything else... and I kind of needed a brother back on that Band. We'd always talked about our freedom, our dream lives. And we were always there for each other. A lot like real brothers, in a few ways."

Deric put his hand back on Nova's arm. Nova looked down at it, the soft, pale skin, a little dirty, but warm. He gazed into Deric's eyes, falling into them all over again, with the wisps of white hair strewn across his face. He felt himself draw closer to him as he did the same, just like the night they first met.

They bumped clumsily together, their lips meeting on a chance. Nova felt Deric's hands on his shoulders, tried to put his own hands on his, but they were sluggish and didn't respond. Deric wrapped his arms around him, holding him tight, and still Nova's hands wouldn't move.

He felt a tear running down his right cheek. Deric finally broke the kiss, pulling his smooth face away. Nova saw the spot on the other boy's cheek where the tear had rubbed off. He felt more of them falling from his eyes, and he looked away, putting his forehead in his hand.

Deric stared at him for a few seconds, and then put a hand on his companion's cheek. "It's not the right time," he said.

"But," said Nova from behind his tears, "I really do want this. I..."

"I know. But now isn't the time." Deric smiled kindly. "Hey, I'm a telepath, remember? I can tell these things. And we're free, right? You said so yourself: free to go wherever we want to go. After we find Iris, we'll have all the time in the galaxy. But now isn't the time." He blinked. "I don't want to hurt you, Nova. And I can see... I can _feel _your pain."

Nova sniffed, wiping the last tears away. "Thank you."

They heard a series of beeping sounds over the com unit, breaking the tension. Nova looked up. "We must-" He coughed, and tried again. "We must be getting close to the system. I'd better get back to the cockpit."

"I'll come, too," said Deric. "I might as well start learning how to fly this thing."

Together, the two boys headed out of the little sleeping chamber and onto the flight deck. The navigator was blinking, and Nova walked over to take a look. "A little less than five minutes." He gulped down the last of his coffee, putting the empty mug down on the metal surface beside the console, and wiping his nose.

Deric, meanwhile, was examining one of the schematics on the wall. The blue outline displayed a cross-section of the _Pearl _from a bird's eye view. "Hey," he said, "there's an extra room shown here." He pointed. "Look, right behind the flight deck."

Nova glanced at the schematic, and then at the wall behind him. It was bare, except for the coffee synth. "What's in it? Does it say?"

"Dunno. Food synth. I can't tell what else." He rubbed his stomach. "I forgot how hungry I was. Let's get this room opened up and eat something."

Nova nodded, feeling his own stomach gurgle. "Makes sense. You see a switch or anything?"

Deric examined the wall. "No, but I found the door." He was standing to the right of the coffee synth, running his hand up the seemingly perfect surface of the bulkhead. "There's a break here, barely visible. You'd never see it if you weren't looking for it. Goes right up to the ceiling, and over here…" He ventured further to the right. "Yep. It's a door, all right."

Nova turned back to the console, scanning the controls that he hadn't yet used. "There might be something over here to open it up." He ran his fingers lightly across the buttons as he named them off. "Afterburner… radar jammer… IFF… doesn't look like it's any of these."

His eyes came to rest on a small, green button in the far corner of the console. It was the only one that didn't have a label. Curious, he reached over. "Grab a hold of something," he said over his shoulder. "This one might be it, but I'm not sure." Deric gripped the back of the co-pilot's seat, and Nova pushed the button.

The entire console instantly went blank, with the exception of the navigator in the lower-right corner, whose timer was still counting down. One minute and forty-five seconds remained until the ship emerged from hyperspace. Then, a second later:

Galley access restricted. Please enter password.

Deric let go of the chair, eyeing the message skeptically. "'Galley'? The room's barely big enough to fit three people into it!"

Nova shrugged. "It's got a food synth. I guess that counts." He looked down at the clav that had appeared in front of his chair. "But more importantly, why is it password-protected? That doesn't make any sense."

Deric sat in his chair. "Maybe the old owner forgot about it."

"Hell of a thing to forget about," Nova muttered. He pressed the 'cancel' button and the ship's controls reappeared. "Whatever. Less than a minute to SPC-050." He glanced at Deric. "Welcome to the Auroran Empire."

* * *

**August 5th, 1177 NC, 8:49 a.m.** It was two and a half days since the _Midnight Pearl'_s arrival in the SPC-050 system. The transition out of hyperspace had passed without any trouble. The engines had adjusted smoothly, the sensors were operational, and life support was undamaged. Not that the boys had expected any problems, but it had been reassuring. Nova had even been able to give Deric a few tips. 

The problems had started a couple of seconds later.

Crouched in the engine room, in the middle of replacing a backup power coupling, Nova gritted his teeth as he recalled the incident. No more than five seconds into the system, the boys discovered they'd flown right into one of the most vicious Fed/Auroran dogfights Nova had ever seen. The two fleets were enormous. The Feds were heavily armed, sporting at least three Carriers and several Destroyers, and the Auroran army was just as massive, if not more so.

Despite all the ships and weaponry, the first projectile to strike the Starbridge came from the LP turret, a railgun bolt that had originally been fired at a passing Fed Viper. Unprepared and defenseless, the ship's engines sustained a fair amount of damage.

It had taken Nova a few minutes to get the shields up and set the next jump co-ordinates. In that time, two stray IR missiles from a Fed Destroyer and a fusion pulse projectile from an Auroran Cruiser had managed hit them. They'd limped into hyperspace with barely enough jump energy left to carry them to the Wittor system, and Water Moon.

Looking back, Nova decided that the trip to Water Moon was the only bright side of the incident. It was one of the most beautiful places he'd ever seen, the surface composed almost entirely of water. Unfortunately for the boys, though, the moon was really only a tourist trap. They couldn't have the _Pearl _repaired at the shipyard, because there wasn't one, nor was there an outfitter's, which meant they couldn't buy any parts to replace the ones that were damaged. The only helping hand they had was the novice technician at the spaceport. He and Nova had spent most of the day integrating the ship's spare parts and fixing the systems that didn't have backups.

They were now, ironically enough, heading for the system called Hope, just two jumps away from Aplix. But they'd lost a full day, which made Nova worry. It was a good thing the _Pearl _was a fast ship, because if they wanted to catch that Pegasus, they'd need all the speed they could get.

Despite a bit of lingering damage to the sub-light thrusters and some chipped paint, the little ship was now nearly in top condition. Barring any more disasters, Nova figured they'd be able to make it as far as Aplix. He rubbed his stomach absently. They'd been able to eat on Water Moon as well, but after all the work he'd had to do to fix the Starbridge, he found that he was hungry again.

There was a beep from the com unit, and Nova heard Deric's voice. "Nova? How's that coupling coming?"

"Done," Nova replied. "That's about all I can do for the engines out here. When this is all over, we should head back to Fed space and give them an overhaul."

"Roger."

Nova looked quizzically at the com unit, and then remembered that Deric couldn't see him. "Roger?" he said.

"Old Earth talk," the younger boy replied. "I read that in a book once. Anyway, we'll be in the Hope system in a half hour."

"Good." He heard a beep as Deric shut off the com, and headed out of the engine room. He needed a shower. The best the little _Pearl _could do was the sink inside the cramped lavatory. He sighed in resignation. The least he could do was get his hair wet. It wasn't the same, but maybe it would be a bit refreshing anyway.

He headed down the tiny corridor to the starboard side, through the door to the sleeping chambers, and then into the door on his right that led to the lavatory. Peeling off his sweat-soaked t-shirt, he turned on the water and presently dunked his mat of hair under the cool stream. He shivered in pleasure, savouring the cold upon his heated forehead.

He finished up, drying his hair with his shirt and heading onto the flight deck, still topless. Deric stared for a few seconds when he walked in, but said nothing, glancing out the window. "What's in the Hope system?"

Nova sat in his chair. "As far as I know, nothing. We get there, reset the co-ordinates, and get out again."

"Good. I'm sick of all this excitement."

Nova glanced at him, and then at the navigator. 25:23 and counting. Even with the damage the Starbridge had sustained, it was still quite fast in hyperspace, so he didn't think they had anything to worry about. But then, how could one not worry in a situation like this?

"Shit," said Deric.

"What?"

The sixteen-year-old shook his head. "It's nothing..." He sighed. "I just start thinking sometimes. One minute we're on Viking, the next we're on the Kane Band, and then we're caught in the crossfire of a fleet-to-fleet dogfight. I just keep thinking about how I got here, what I'm doing... you know what I mean?"

Nova shrugged. "I guess... not really."

"Why?"

"Well... for me, it's not about what I'm doing. I never think about that. Because when you start thinking about what you're doing now, you lose track of what you want to do later."

"Oh." He paused. "I guess the future's always been something for you to hold on to, hasn't it?"

"Damn straight, it has," the older boy replied, thinking of the long years he spent under Cosmo's thumb.

"I never really thought about the future when I was on Viking," said Deric. "Life was pretty much the same, day to day. Not that much variety to look forward to." He glanced at the back wall. "Think we'll ever get that door open?"

"Sure, when Iris is here. He's a genius when it comes to cracking passcodes."

Neither boy said anything after that. They lapsed into a tense silence. Deric watched the navigator, the numbers counting down. Nova just stared out into space. He didn't really like to think about it, but he was very disturbed by their brush with death. If they'd taken a few more hits, they'd have been done for.

So what were they hoping to do against the Pegasus? Even if they did get there first, how were they going to fight it? Sure, it was slow, but the ships were built to take a fair punch, and were usually well-armed. What chance did a little Starbridge with almost no weaponry have against a ship like that?

There was really only one way to find out. And Nova didn't like that.

Some time later, the navigator began to blink. "Hope system in five," said Deric, as Nova pulled his damp shirt back over his head.

"Maybe we should put the shields up this time," he said.

"Why?" said Deric. "We're not on the border anymore, and we'll only be in the system for about a minute. Maybe less."

"Call it a gut feeling." He pressed several buttons on the console. There was a low humming sound, and they presently saw the faint glow of the shields just outside the front window.

"I think you're being paranoid."

"Better than getting caught unprepared," Nova replied.

Five minutes later, the _Midnight Pearl _materialized into the Hope system, and the boys watched the dark space intently. There were stars, and there was a cluster of asteroids nearby. Other than that, everything was silent and calm, nothing but bleak, empty space.

Nova breathed a sigh of relief. "Told you," said Deric, grinning.

The older boy shook his head. "For once, I'm glad I'm wrong." His hand drifted back to the shield controls.

The next second, the console began to beep loudly, and Nova looked frantically around to find the source. He then spotted the blinking panel toward the left of the console. "Shit! Never mind that," he said. "It's the proximity sensors. Looks like we've got some company after all." He put his hand on the console. "Hold on, I'm going to punch it."

Deric braced himself just in time as the Starbridge's wounded sub-light engines slammed on at full power. Even over the roar, he could hear the sounds of the frantic sensor array. He took a look. Their pursuers were right on their tail, and closing.

He came to his senses and flicked on the rear viewscreen. "Vipers! Two of them!"

Nova looked, and then checked the IFF, all the while maneuvering the vessel to avoid the light blaster bolts. Several hits landed anyway, splashing against the shields, and the _Pearl _rocked constantly from the impacts. "Marauders!" he yelled. "They're after our credits!"

The ship trembled again, and Deric held on to the armrest. "But we don't have any! We used the last of them on Water Moon!"

Nova bit his lip, rounding a stray asteroid. "In that case, they might just kill us instead."

"Great," Deric replied, activating the weapons array. "Can you get them into weapons range?"

The ship rocked again. "I think it's a little late for that," Nova replied. "They're gaining on us already!"

"I thought this thing was faster than Vipers!"

"First off," said Nova over the ruckus, "our engines are already in less than prime condition, and those aren't ordinary Vipers." He gripped his armrest and quickly pressed a few more buttons on the console. "Hang on, I'm going to try something!"

Yet another light blaster bolt hit the shields, which had been knocked down to sixty percent. Deric obediently grabbed a hold of his armrests, praying that Nova knew what he was doing.

He was then pressed against the back of his chair as he felt the ship's nose point straight up, and then flip over and head back down again, effectively performing a miniature somersault. He gawked at Nova. "Where the hell did you learn to do that?!"

"Forget that! Look!"

He did, and nearly whooped with glee. The maneuver had worked. They were now directly behind the marauders. His trembling hands found the weapon controls, and he took aim and started to fire.

Immediately, the two little fighters split off in opposite directions. Nova veered hard to starboard, following the Viper that had headed left. "Keep firing!" he said. "If we can get this one, we'll only have one more to worry about!"

The blaster bolts spewed out from the nose of the _Pearl_, one right after the other. The first three shots missed entirely, and then Deric's hands stopped trembling, and Nova could see sparks flying from the rear of the pirate's ship. Seconds later, the left wing was severed from the Viper's body, and it began to spin out of control, crashing into a stray asteroid in a large explosion.

Despite himself, Nova grinned. "Nice shot! There's only one left!"

Unfortunately, the remaining marauder was coming around quickly. It weaved around a few asteroids and ended up back behind the two boys, lasers blazing. Several more bolts struck the Starbridge, whose shields were now reduced to fifty percent.

"If we lose shields, it won't take much to get rid of us," Nova said. "We can't let this guy knock our engines out again, or we won't even make it out of the system!"

"Then go!" yelled Deric. "We might be able to lose him if we make the jump!"

Nova nodded, punching in the co-ordinates. "Good thinking! If he follows us into the Pimen system, he'll be dead meat for sure!"

He'd nearly managed to enter the co-ordinates when the ship lurched much more violently than before. Deric looked at the console and his mouth went agape. "We're down to thirty percent! What the hell just hit us?!"

"He's got IR missiles!" yelled Nova, eyeing the jamming systems. "We've got a civilian-grade jammer, but it won't do much good." _Shit, _he thought, flicking the switch, _that radar missile launcher would have been really helpful._

Another missile hit the ship, rocking it violently and pushing the shields down to twenty-two percent. Deric was thrown from his chair, and grabbed the base of it, pulling himself back up. Blood trickled from a small cut on his arm as he checked the sensors. "Nova! Watch it! The asteroid cluster's just ahead!"

Nova looked, and his face went pale. "Oh, shit," he said. "Listen. You've got to get those co-ordinates into the system. I'll get us through this, and the minute we're out, we go to hyperspace. Got it?"

Deric nodded. He was already punching in the data.

The first of the asteroids crept towards them, and Nova swallowed. _Here we go, _he thought.

He took the ship on a nose-dive, passing underneath the first asteroid by the skin of his teeth. He heard another missile blast the chunk of rock to shreds, but he was already focused on the next one. He veered to port, rounding the second asteroid, and then immediately went nose-up to avoid another. The Viper was following their every move, still firing its lasers and missiles. Nova saw a few laser bolts sizzle as they hit the boulders ahead, but ignored them, twisting the ship around in ways it hadn't been designed to maneuver in order to avoid the barrage of danger in the asteroid cluster.

Deric pressed a button, glancing at Nova. "They're in! We're set to jump!"

"Good!" Nova yelled back. "Now start blasting some of these asteroids before they kill us!" Sweat was pouring from his forehead as his hands moved frantically across the console.

The younger boy obeyed, his fingers returning to the weapons array. He began to fire at random, every time an asteroid appeared in their way. He saw one crumble to dust before them, began to shoot another one. The ship lurched once again as a missile finally found its mark, but Nova righted the ship and kept speeding on. Their shields were now at twelve percent.

Finally, Nova grinned. "We're almost out! Get ready to punch it!"

Deric sat with his hand poised over the button, watching intently as they rounded one more asteroid, and then another, and then they were out into clear space. He slammed the jump control, and immediately the stars streaked out before them. They saw the flash of light, heard the concussive sonic boom, and they were away!

But the proximity sensor was still making noise, and Nova took a look. "Shit!" he yelled. "He's still on us!"

"What?!" cried Deric. "How can that be?"

"He followed us in!"

Sure enough, no more than six kilometres behind the _Midnight Pearl_, the marauder chased them through hyperspace. The Starbridge rocked again and again from the onslaught of missiles and blaster bolts. The shields dropped to zero, and Deric couldn't restrain a cry. "We've lost shields!"

Nova thought fast. "All right, this is gonna be hard on the engines and even harder on us, so hang on to something and don't let go!"

He quickly reset the jump co-ordinates, and then bit his lip, his finger hovering over a button on the console. "I'm going to force us out of hyperspace, and then back in. Brace yourself!" Deric did.

And then Nova pushed the button.

Deric felt the ship lurch uncomfortably as their velocity sharply decreased. They remained in hyperspace just long enough to see the Viper zip past them. Immediately, Nova hit the protesting engine again, and Deric felt himself slam against the seat behind him, carried with the _Pearl _back into the pursuit.

Except this time, they were the ones doing the chasing.

"Now!" yelled Nova. "Take him out!"

The medium blasters began to fire once again, this time with deadly accuracy. The first shot splashed against the shields. The second knocked them out entirely. The third struck the wing, and the enemy ship wavered. The fourth and final blast found its target: the engines. A small detonation, followed by another and another, and Nova shielded his eyes, waiting for the final blast.

It happened a few seconds later, washing over the unprotected Starbridge like the heat from an oven. The explosion resonated in their ears and even in their covered eyes, but even before it ended, Nova was grinning. He knew they'd made it.

Finally, the blast died away, fading in the distance of hyperspace, mingling with the normalcy of real space somewhere between Hope and Pimen. Nova sat up, ignoring the warning alarms of the damaged systems, and wiped the sweat off his slippery forehead. Deric leaned on the console in front of him, breathing heavily.

"We did it," he said. "We really did it."

Nova had a weak smile on his face, but said nothing. He stood, wandering wearily out of the flight deck, heading in the direction of the sleeping chamber. Deric watched him go, an amused smile playing about on his face. They'd lost their shields, they'd nearly lost their engines, the hull armour had taken a beating, and they had only enough energy to get them to the next star system. Yet, it was still a victory. It felt like a victory.

He got up. He wandered around the flight deck, still listening to the various warnings the ship had to offer. He eyed the bird's-eye schematic on the wall, ran his fingers over the design. He tried to make sense of some of the flight controls, shortly giving up and leaning on the back of his chair.

He remembered what Nova had said. He didn't think about the present, he'd said. He was more worried about what was coming. The future.

Did Deric want to think that way? Was he looking at a distorted version of his own future every time Nova passed into his field of vision? Or was there something else to the puzzle, something the older boy hadn't yet seen?

And why was he thinking of all this now? Of all the possible chances he'd had to be philosophical, why had he picked this one? After all, now was hardly a time to be loafing around. And yet, Deric felt detached. He felt almost as if he didn't care, though he knew he did.

And he finally put his finger on it. Today, he'd killed two men. They may have been marauders, but Deric still couldn't shake away the truth of the matter: he'd killed them. He'd ended their lives without so much as a second thought.

_I should be in tears right now, _he thought.

And then, should he? He wondered. After all, the pirates would have done the same to them. Was that why he was feeling so blank, so... so neutral? If you killed someone who was trying to kill you, did it count as murder?

Of course, he was still alive. That was the important thing. Right?

Again, Deric wondered.

But he realized that this was the end of the life he'd once known. This was solid proof that the Deric Harrison he'd once been no longer existed. That life had ended the minute his hands had stopped trembling at the weapons array. That old Deric hadn't been out in the galaxy. He'd been confined to a world of which he knew little, a lost boy with nothing but his dreams to comfort him.

Now, he looked at himself. Co-pilot of a starship, admitted killer of two anonymous pirates in the middle of Auroran space. And a _telepath, _for crying out loud.

That old Deric, he decided, would never be back. And he liked it that way. He resolved to make sure that old Deric didn't come back. Because if he ever returned to that meek, fantasy-world clone of himself, it would be solid proof that he'd failed to live his life the right way... following his dreams.

He sat down again. His left hand unconsciously toyed with his long braid, gazing at the console. There was a lot of work to be done. The engines were battered, both from the marauders' attacks and from Nova's hectic manoeuvring. The hull armour had taken damage, too, after the shields had gone down. The shields themselves, of course, would take a while to regenerate, and while they did, he and Nova would have to start fixing up the stabilizers, thrusters, and all the other suffering systems.

He laid his head down on his arms, yawning, feeling a wave of exhaustion drape over him. Yeah, there was a whole lot of work. He and Nova had a ton of things they needed to do. He closed his eyes. Yeah, he'd get right to it...

Tomorrow.


	6. Chapter 6: Pegasus

**NOVA**

**Chapter 6 - Pegasus**

* * *

**August 6th, 1177 NC, 5:49 p.m.** There was but a single planet in the Pimen system: Rimerta, a world of poverty and solitude. Of its 160 billion Auroran inhabitants, very few had any ties to the galaxy outside. The planet's atmosphere was dense, the surface clouded and polluted. The buildings, mostly nothing more than tall, black spires, protruded weakly from the dense gases underneath, as if reaching desperately for a breath of fresh air. 

At the top of one of these spires, next to a window with a dubiously impressive view of the tower's surroundings, Deric and Nova sat at a table in a quiet, dingy little café sipping from mugs of a hot, bland drink, the name of which neither boy could pronounce.

_At least it's got caffeine in it, _thought Nova as he swallowed another mouthful.

The boys were filthy from head to toe. Even before they'd reached the system, they'd been making constant repairs to their weary ship. Before their arrival, Nova had been worried they wouldn't make it out of hyperspace at all.

Fortunately, they'd managed, descending roughly through Rimerta's atmosphere and landing clumsily on the nearest platform, which hovered just inches away from the dense, green cloud of filth underneath.

Nova, for the fifteenth time that day, thanked his lucky stars that there had been an outfitter's shop at the spaceport. He'd wondered at the time why a planet such as this one would have need of an outfitter's when they didn't even have a shipyard or, for that matter, a population that traveled much. Then he'd decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth.

The only problem had been money, but that turned out to be less of an issue than Nova had originally expected. The technician took an appreciative look at the ship, and then demanded to know what had happened to it. Simply out of curiosity, he'd said. And after listening to Nova's well-spun tale of a "death-defying battle" in which the two boys were "hopelessly outnumbered" and facing weapons that were "powerful enough to rip them limb from limb," he decided that the boys were worthy warriors, and offered to help fix the ship for free, even going so far as to supply the necessary components.

"Yeah, we sure dodged a bullet on that one," said Deric, browsing Nova's thoughts.

Nova glanced at him, scowling. "Hey, warn me next time you're going to walk through my head."

Deric smiled grimly, and sighed. He was being optimistic, and Nova couldn't fault him for that, but they'd already spent twelve hours on Rimerta, which he considered to be eleven and a half too many.

Sitting on the table between the two boys was a dusty comlink. Not too long ago, Nova and Deric had been out at the spaceport helping the technician with the _Pearl_. But they'd hit a point where their help was no longer needed, and the gruff young man had sent them off to take a break. "You two should be resting," he had said. "The warrior who fights 'till he can fight no more is never ready for the next battle." The boys had reluctantly headed to the adjoining spire with the comlink and the technician's promise that they'd know as soon as the repairs were complete.

Deric gazed out the window at their little ship atop the platform down below. The spotless white hull was now littered with pockmarks of black, leaving lingering evidence of their struggle. "Doesn't look like our ship anymore, does it?" he said. "All beat up like that..."

"No," agreed Nova. "Looks like it's been through a hell of a lot more than we expected." He tapped his chin. "There's something bothering me about all this."

"What?" asked Deric. "The fact that we're stranded, the fact that we nearly got blown up – again – or the fact that this planet is more polluted than Viking is?"

"All three of those," replied Nova, "but that's not what I'm thinking about. I can't figure out what a couple of Pirate Vipers were doing in the middle of Auroran space."

Deric narrowed his eyes, taking a sip of his drink. "What do you mean?"

"Think about it. The Guild, the Association, all the big Pirate syndicates are up in Federation space. If we were going to be attacked down here, it would most likely have been a couple of houseless Auroran vessels. And yet, we were hit by a couple of marauding Vipers that couldn't possibly have gotten as far as the Hope system on their own, even from Tichel."

Deric picked at his nails nervously. "So, what does that mean?"

Nova bit his lip. "I don't know, and I don't really want to know. To be frank, the possibilities scare the shit out of me."

"Well," said Deric, "whatever. They're gone now. We can't get ourselves discouraged." He glanced out the window again. "We can still catch that Pegasus, right?"

Nova nodded. "I think so. Just as long as we get out of here soon."

The younger boy rested his elbows on the table, clasping his hands. "So, what if we get there and they've already landed?"

Nova's eyes narrowed. He'd been trying not to think about that.

"I think it's pretty easy," Deric continued. "We go down, find Iris, and head back up."

Nova shook his head. "Not quite that simple. I looked up Lixos on the _Pearl'_s database. There wasn't much information, except that it's an Auroran clone of Viking. Mining planet. The difference is that Lixos makes more money for the Aurorans than Viking does for the Feds. Lots of precious jewels, that's the specialty."

"Right. So, what? What does that mean?"

"It means the place is heavily guarded," replied Nova. "Even if we got down to the surface alive, if we started causing trouble, we'd be shot on the way back up. It'd save us a major headache if we didn't have to go down there."

Deric sighed. "Okay, fair enough. So what's our plan A?" Nova was silent, still biting his lip, and the younger boy's eyes widened slightly. "Don't tell me you don't have a game plan."

"I'm working on it." He stared back out the window. "I don't really know what to expect yet. It all depends on when we get there. If we beat them to the system, we can catch them on the outskirts before they can contact the planet. If they get any closer, it gets a little more complicated."

Deric was about to ask more, but at that moment the comlink beeped, and Nova picked it up. "This is Nova." He glanced down at the platform, spotting the technician standing at the bottom of the _Pearl_'s boarding ramp.

"Your ship is ready to go," he said, his voice slightly distorted but understandable. "Be very careful about putting stress on the engines, brave warrior. Your little hyperspace trick caused us some difficulties."

Nova chuckled half-heartedly. "With any luck, I'll never need to do it again. Thanks, though. We're on our way."

"I am glad to have been of service," the technician replied. "I must leave now, for I have business elsewhere, but I wish you and your companion a safe journey." The comlink beeped again, and there was silence.

Deric looked at Nova excitedly. "Excellent. Let's get out of this place."

Nova nodded. "Definitely. We've spent a long time here. Way too long."

They headed out of the café and down the anti-grav lift to the platform. The technician was already gone, having taken his shuttle to another part of the planet. The _Midnight Pearl_'s lingering patches of white and silver glowed dully in the dim sunlight. Despite its worn exterior, it looked ready to go.

He and Deric started up the boarding ramp, heading onto the flight deck. Nova sat in his now-familiar pilot's seat, activating the console and starting up the engines. He listened to the sound, now no longer rough and distressed, but smooth and powerful. _Just like new, _he thought. He couldn't believe his luck.

The question was: would that luck hold out?

Deric sat down in his own seat and activated the shields. Nova looked at him curiously, and he shrugged. "You can never be too careful, right?"

Nova nodded. "Good point," he said.

The ship began to lift away from Rimerta, the thrusters already kicking in and taking them higher into the atmosphere. Nova didn't waste any time, punching in the jump co-ordinates before they were even through the cloud cover. The ship pushed through the dense gases and out into space at maximum speed, and the planet shrunk into the distance.

"Hitting the jump engines," said Nova, pushing the buttons nervously.

Deric glanced at him. "You're sweating."

Nova sniffed. "Of course I'm sweating. We've got a half-day's trip ahead of us and no time to waste. What else would you expect?"

Deric sighed, leaning back and watching his companion strike the controls. Seconds later, the familiar acceleration, flash of light and sonic boom confirmed their transition into hyperspace. Nova presently left, heading for the sleeping chambers, but Deric remained in the cockpit, staring at the stars on the other side of the duraglass. He thought about Iris. He thought about the Pegasus. And he hoped, for Nova's sake, that they weren't too late.

* * *

**August 6th, 1177 NC, 7:40 p.m. **It was the final hour. 

"This is it," said Nova, raising the shields to maximum, arming the weapons array, and checking the energy reserves. Deric, for his part, eyed the status of the afterburner and the jamming systems, readying them for use.

Thirteen and a half hours had passed since they left the Pimen system, and they were now preparing to cross the hyperspace threshold into the Aplix system. Neither of the boys had said a word during the trip through hyperspace. The tension aboard the ship was thick enough to be cut with a knife. Now, Deric felt the sweat oozing down his own head, soaking his long bangs, and he wiped it off with the back of his hand, concentrating on his tasks.

Less than two minutes remained before they would emerge from hyperspace, and the boys weren't taking any chances. Nova had checked the hull integrity three times, and the backup power nodes twice. Everything was functioning perfectly, but he still felt uncomfortably paranoid.

Deric, on the other hand, had never felt so exhilarated. It was one thing to be caught off-guard by pirates, taken by surprise with little time to prepare. It was quite another to be going headfirst into a planned assault. And despite his tense nerves and his fast-beating heart, he couldn't wipe the giddy smile off his face.

Nova glanced at him. "That's all we can do. One minute to Aplix." Then he grinned, too. "You know what I just realized?"

"What?" Deric asked him.

"Throughout that entire episode with those marauders, you didn't let a single thought loose."

"Not a one?" Deric was astonished.

"Nope. Maybe you're just getting better at controlling yourself." He chuckled. "Or maybe you're braver than I am."

"Hah," said Deric. "There's a joke."

Nova shook his head. "No, really. You've got quite a set of guts, dude. You've taken it all in stride, everything from that prison ship to this. Hell, if I didn't know better, I'd say you weren't scared of anything."

Deric smiled again, and then glanced at the navigator, sobering up. "Ten seconds."

His companion's smile vanished as well. "Pulling us out of hyperspace. Get the scanners going."

"Check!" He activated the sensor array, preparing for re-entry.

"Real space in three... two... one..." Nova tapped a few controls, and Deric felt the ship begin to slow, the hyperspace engines powering down. The stars shrunk back into small points of light, and the planet Lixos appeared before them, a looming, violet orb in the nothingness.

Aplix.

Nova gazed at the planet for a few seconds, and then blinked. "Sensors," he said.

"Scanning..." Deric watched the control intently as he cycled through the ships present in the system, keeping an eye on the IFF, making sure none were hostile. "Lots of Auroran ships," he said. "Mostly Abominations or Argosies... no, wait... got a Carrier on the night side." He paused again, and was silent for a long time before he spoke again. "Shit," he said. "The _Star Searcher, _Pegasus, dead ahead, 5 AUs from the surface."

"Shit!" Nova repeated, pushing the sub-light thrusters to full. "Get the com array online and hail them."

"What?" said Deric. "What good will that do?"

"Just do it! We can stall for time, maybe keep them from landing."

Deric hit a few buttons on the com console, and they heard the beep as it activated. He gave a quick thumbs-up to Nova, who began talking.

"This is the E.S.S. _Midnight Pearl _to the S.S.F. _Star Searcher._ Come in, _Star Searcher._" He paused a moment. "Repeat, _Midnight Pearl _to _Star Searcher. _Please respond."

For several minutes, there was silence on the other end. Nova drummed his fingers on the front of the console. Deric bit his lip. All the while, the _Star Searcher _continued toward the planet, as if it hadn't heard them at all.

Finally, the panel beeped again, and they heard a gruff male voice. "This is the _Star Searcher_. What do you want?"

Deric sighed with relief. Nova slowed the ship down as he spoke. "My name is Nova. We know that you've done business with a man named Dorgan Cosmo, and that one of his employees is aboard your ship. We've come to take him off your hands."

There was another pause before the com panel beeped once more.

"_Pearl, _may I ask what business you have in our affairs?"

Nova bit his lip. "Until recently, I was also one of Cosmo's boys. I left the business. I intend to liberate your charge as well."

There came a laugh from the captain of the _Searcher_, which had not shown any signs of slowing. "Well then, how much you gonna pay for him?"

Caught completely off-guard, it took Nova a few seconds to respond. "S-say again?"

"I said: how many credits are you willing to put up for your friend here? I got a fair few waitin' for me on the surface."

Nova cleared his throat, which had suddenly gone dry. "We... we don't have any credits, but if you'll-"

"Well then," said the man, cutting him off, "I suppose we're done here." They heard another beep, and the com panel went dark.

Nova pounded his fist on the console. "Damn it!"

"What are we going to do now?" said Deric. "We can't just let them take him to the surface!"

The older boy shook his head. "Of course not." He thought for a minute. Then his eyes lit up, and he headed for the sensors.

"What are you doing?" said Deric.

"Looking for an entrance," replied Nova, looking at a small-scale schematic of the _Star Searcher._ He then pointed. "There. There's a shuttle bay in one of the cargo segments. We can fly in, grab Iris, and fly out."

"How?" said Deric. "There's a whole crew in there, we'd never get out of the bay. And what about the shields?"

"We can fly right through the shields. They're only designed to deflect weapons fire. But you're right, there're a lot of men in there. So, if we're going to fly in, we'll need a distraction," He thought for a moment. "I'd like to shoot the bastard, but then the local Auroran authorities would be right on us for disturbing the peace."

"Can we get the Aurorans to fire on him?" asked Deric. "That'd be a good distraction."

"Yeah," said Nova, "but they won't fire for no reason. The Pegasus needs to start causing..." He grinned. "It needs to start causing trouble!"

His hands flew to the control console, and he once again powered up the engines. Steering the ship toward the planet, he began to speed straight at the Pegasus, ensuring that the shields were up and the weapons were armed.

Deric went pale. "Nova, what are you doing?"

He grinned deviously. "Making it look like I want to attack. All we need to do is get them to shoot first."

They drew nearer and nearer to the large ship, swooping down upon it like an eagle. The next second, the com panel beeped again, and the captain's angry voice filled the little flight deck.

"_Pearl,_ I'd advise against any acts of aggression or we will be forced to defend ourselves."

"Sorry, sir," said Nova, "but you've left me no choice in the matter." He shut off the com, returning to his task at hand.

The bulky freighter was drawing closer and closer to the inclined nose of the little Starbridge. They couldn't have been more than a single AU away. And still, the Pegasus didn't move a muscle. Its shields were up, Nova noted, and its weapons armed, but it didn't shoot. _Come on, _Nova thought.

"We're getting too close!" yelled Deric. "What's going on?"

"He thinks we're bluffing!" Sweat formed on Nova's brow.

"We have to pull up! We'll crash right into them!"

Nova nearly grinned. "That's exactly what I want them to think."

They drew closer and closer. "Two kilometres!" warned Deric. "One and a half!" And still the large ship did nothing.

"One kilometre!"

_Come on, _thought Nova. _Come on!_

"800 metres and closing!" Deric looked at Nova in a panic. "Pull up! We're too close!"

And then Nova saw it: the blaster turret atop the _Searcher'_sdorsal engine began to swivel around toward them. He fiercely brought the _Pearl'_s nose straight up, missing the freighter by only a few dozen metres.

They heard the sound of a laser blast, and the ship lurched violently as the weapon struck the belly. The ship's shields were already down to eighty percent. But Nova was still grinning. That was the first shot. The _Star Searcher_ fired the first shot.

He laughed with glee. "Hah! They fell for it!" He turned to Deric, noticing that some of the Auroran ships were already heading in their direction. "Hail the nearest Auroran ship," he said, "and fast!"

Deric did, and Nova spoke loudly. "Auroran vessel, this is the E.S.S. _Midnight Pearl_ requesting assistance. Repeat, we have been fired on and require assistance!"

And as Nova watched, the Abomination-class ship turned, and made a beeline for the Pegasus, projectiles blasting from its twin fusion pulse cannons. Nova could some more Auroran ships in the distance – Firebirds, Phoenixes, other Abominations – doing the same. Deric checked the sensors. "Every Auroran ship in the system is heading straight for them! Now's our chance!"

"Excellent."

Nova veered hard to starboard, heading straight back toward the besieged _Star Searcher_. It hadn't yet fired at the Auroran ships. "Hah!" said Nova. "He's trying to reason with them!"

"What if he does?" said Deric anxiously.

"Don't start worrying about that," Nova replied. "We need to take advantage of every second we get."

Nova and the _Pearl _dodged around missiles and projectiles, heading for the Pegasus' shuttle bay. By now, the freighter had begun to fight back, but was blissfully unaware of the little Starbridge that was sneaking its way closer and closer. The flight deck lit up in orange light as a fusion pulse sizzled dangerously close to their hull, but Nova wasn't about to slow down.

They neared the extended shields of the _Searcher_'s hull, dipping through them and cutting the speed to circle around the ship. They felt the ship jerk as it scraped lightly against one of the Pegasus' cargo segments. Nova wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. "That was a little close," he said.

Another projectile flew at them from the nearest Argosy fighter, but it splashed harmlessly against the large freighter's shields. Nova glanced at the sensors. The _Star Searcher_ had taken a few hits, but they were still at eighty-five percent shield integrity.

Nova looked back to the window, and grinned. The shuttle bay was in view. "Go grab a couple of hand-blasters," he told Deric. "We'll probably need them." He began to turn the ship toward the bay.

Deric's face went pale. "What? You mean we might have to…"

"Shoot somebody. Yeah."

"But Nova…"

He didn't have time to finish his protest before they heard a rattling noise, and saw dozens of tiny metal projectiles strike the side of the _Searcher_. "What the hell…?" said Nova, his grin vanishing. "Where's all that coming from?"

Deric hit the senors. "There's a couple of Firebirds out there! That's chaingun ammo!"

"Shit," said Nova. "That stuff goes straight through the shields."

"That's not all," said Deric. "The Carrier's rounding the planet. It'll be on this side within five minutes!"

Nova cursed. "That's not a lot of time." He swung the ship around, heading recklessly toward the small opening in the _Searcher'_s hull. "Here goes nothing," he said, and drifted into the bay, extending the landing struts and settling down onto the dull metal surface.

The large room was empty.

Nova double-checked the proximity sensors, and glanced out the front windows. The shuttle bay was definitely empty but for two or three cargo shuttles.

"There's no alarm," said Deric, listening.

"Those chainguns must have hit the internal sensors. We're in luck." He reached under the console, opening a panel and pulling out two hand-blasters. He tossed one to Deric, who nearly dropped it.

"But Nova," he said, "I… I really don't think I could shoot someone…"

Nova sighed. "Look, if we want to get out of this alive, we can't afford to be squeamish. You've got guts, I know you do. You can handle this."

Deric's lip quivered slightly, but he swallowed and nodded, gripping the hand-blaster tightly. Nova stuck his own into the waistband of his pants and lowered the boarding ramp. "Come on, we don't have much time."

He hurried off of the flight deck and down the boarding ramp, Deric hot on his heels. He glanced around, taking one final look around the shuttle bay for crewmen before bolting across to the door, pausing by the console nearby.

"At least we found a schematic this time," he said to Deric, who was looking over his shoulder. "We're here." He pointed to the shuttle bay on the outline of the Pegasus, which still hadn't detected the _Midnight Pearl'_s presence. "Thing is, I have no idea where they'd be keeping Iris."

"Hold on," said Deric, and closed his eyes. Instantly, Nova felt some sort of immense, invisible energy wash over him, and for a few seconds he was very dizzy. He regained his equilibrium just as his companion reopened his eyes.

"What the hell did you just do?" Nova said.

Deric was holding his forehead, wincing. "I've been working on exploring my surroundings lately, to see if I can pick up thoughts from anywhere. I tried to read every mind on the ship. It didn't work right, I don't think, but I know where Iris is."

Nova stowed his initial astonishment, turning back to the schematic. "Where? Show me."

Deric pointed. "There. They've locked him in one of the crew quarters. Second cargo segment, third level."

Nova squinted. "We're in the third segment. Let's hustle." He pressed a button on a panel next to the door, which slid open. He glanced out into the corridor, finding it empty, and headed right. Deric followed.

The corridor curved slightly, leading across the one segment of the circular ship to the next. Nova was desperately hoping to remain undetected, because cargo segments were linked together by a single door, and if that door was locked or barred, they'd never get to Iris in time. Nova began to move faster.

Deric gripped the hand-blaster in his sweating right palm. Once or twice, the question of why he'd gone along with this suicide mission crossed his mind, but he shoved it away. Now wasn't the time to be selfish. He wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. "Is it hot in here," he said, "or am I just nervous?"

Nova wiped his own forehead. "No, it's hot in here, all right. Environmental controls must have taken a hit." He glanced around the next bend. "Not a soul… and there's the door!"

They rounded the bend and approached the door. Nova glanced around it, at the controls and panels on either side. Then he turned to Deric. "If we open this door, they'll know something's up. We'll have to be really quick. I wish I knew how close that Carrier was."

Deric tossed his hair off his forehead. "All the more reason to hurry. Get this door open, and we'll run."

Nova nodded, his hand hovering over the lock. "Ready…"

He punched the button.

Instantly, there was a loud beeping sound as the door slowly creaked open. A mechanical voice filled the hallways of the immense _Star Searcher._

"ATTENTION. UNAUTHORIZED CARGO LOCK BREACH IN SEGMENTS TWO AND THREE. ATTENTION..."

"Now!" yelled Nova, bolting through before the door had even opened completely.

They were running again, just like the _Nelson_, and despite his own beating heart and undying anxiety, Deric couldn't help being reminded of their last episode of space vessel espionage. He forced himself to pay attention. Iris' life was at stake.

They ran through a corridor similar to the one in Segment Three, except this time they could see doors lining the walls. Nova paused to glance at some of the rooms, but noticed that Deric seemed to be sure of where he was going, and ran on, trusting his telepathic friend's instincts. They hadn't failed yet.

Deric suddenly screeched to a halt and backed up several steps, putting a hand across Nova's chest to slow him down. They flattened themselves against the wall, and Deric peeked around carefully.

"What is it?" whispered Nova.

"There're two guards there, right in front of the door." He paused, squinting. "They just got here a few seconds ago. The segment alarm tipped them off."

"Shit," said Nova. "Weapons?"

Deric nodded. "A hand-rifle each. And…" He was quiet again. "More of them are on the way. We need to do this now!"

Nova glanced carefully around Deric, checking his hand-blaster setting. He raised it, took aim, and squeezed the trigger.

There was a short cry, and then a loud thump as the guard hit the ground, and the few seconds it took the other guard to realize what had happened were enough for Nova to fire off another blast. The second man went down silently.

Deric wiped his forehead as they hurried over to the guards. "Don't worry," said Nova, "they're just stunned." He grabbed the first guard's hand-rifle, passing the other one to Deric. "So, this is where Iris is?"

Deric nodded, crouching by the panel. "Shit," he said, "there's a code. Give me a minute."

Nova nodded, and then pounded on the door with his fist. "Iris!" he said. "Iris, are you in there?"

For a while, there was silence, and Nova was worried they'd gotten the wrong door. Then a meek voice called back from inside. "What's happening? What's going on?"

The ship rocked slightly. _The shields are failing, _thought Nova. "Iris, it's me! Nova! We're getting out out of here!"

There was a startled cry from inside, and the sound of footsteps rushing to the door. "Nova! Oh, my God! I thought… I thought you were…"

"I'm all right, Iris," called Nova, "but we need to hurry! There are more guards coming, so we need to get you out now!" He glanced at Deric. "Any luck?"

"Almost," he said, and then screamed as a blaster bolt struck the wall a few metres away. "They're here!" he yelled.

The guard had come from Segment One, his rifle pointed directly at Deric. "No you don't!" yelled Nova, firing a blast in his direction. He fell, still clutching his rifle, and his head smacked painfully against the wall. "Deric! Come on!"

"I've got it!" Deric cried, punching in the four numbers. "That guard knew the code! Give me a second." He pressed a few more buttons on the panel, and finally the door to the crew quarters slid open.

His clothes were torn in one or two places. He had a black eye and a few scratches on his arms and legs. But he was the same Iris, his unruly black hair in disorganized clumps on his head, his dark brown eyes beaming along with his smiling face.

He raced across the small gap and into Nova's arms, and for a moment, as Deric watched, time seemed to slow down, just to give the two friends, as close as brothers, their moment. They clung tightly to each other, each having thought they'd never see the other again.

Nova finally let go. "My God," he said. "What happened to you?"

"I…" Iris had to catch his breath. "The crew of this ship… they forced me into a bit of… free service."

The Pegasus craft shook slightly, and Iris looked around himself. "What's going on?"

"The ship's under attack," said Deric, "so we have to go quickly, before-"

He didn't get the chance to finish his sentence. Time jerked back into motion as another rifle blast struck the wall beside them. Nova hoisted his own rifle. "Go! Back to the shuttle bay!" Deric took Iris's hand and pulled him onward as Nova turned and fired back at the advancing guard. They exchanged fire for several seconds until the man finally fell, and the Nova turned and bolted after his friends.

He'd just managed to catch up to them when the ship rocked violently and the three were sent sprawling. "What was that?!" cried Iris, bracing himself against the wall.

"The Carrier!" yelled Deric. "It's opened fire!"

"Brace yourselves!" said Nova, keeping a hand against the wall as he ran along. The ship lurched again, but they managed to stay on their feet and keep going.

The door between segments was still open, but Nova could see more of the _Searcher'_spersonnel moving in from Segment Three. He fired at one, sending him back through the door, but another raised his rifle and took aim.

There was another blast, and the guard fell backwards, a charred hole in his chest. Nova, wide-eyed, turned to look at Deric, who was holding his smoking rifle in a trembling grip. His mouth was hanging open, and his bottom lip was quivering. "I…" he said, "I don't know what came over me…"

"Later!" said Nova. "Come on, we have to keep moving!" As they continued onward, though, Nova couldn't help feeling proud of his companion. He was beginning to learn what real space life was like.

They ran along the curving corner toward the shuttle bay. "Weird," said Nova as they went. "There aren't as many guards along here as I thought there'd be."

"You said we're being attacked?" said Iris. "They're probably busy on the bridge."

"So much the better for us," said Deric, and began to run a little faster.

The shuttle bay door winked into view at last, the outside as tranquil as when they'd left, if it could be called tranquil. Iris finally clued in to where they were going and glanced at Nova, only to be sent flying again as the Aurorans scored another hit. Then, the mechanical voice chimed in, bringing horrifying memories back into Nova and Deric's minds.

"HULL INTEGRITY AT FIFTY PERCENT AND FALLING."

"Shit!" said Nova, rising to his feet and crossing to the shuttle bay door, pressing buttons on the panel.

"Hold on," said Iris, "we're going to steal a shuttle?! We'll be blown up before we're even out of the bay!"

"Just wait, Iris," said Nova, a mischievous grin on his face. "You'll see."

The grin disappeared when the door opened.

The boys dove off to the sides of the door as a hail of blaster bolts shot through the opening, very nearly burning the three of them to a crisp. Nova, on his belly, shot blindly through the door, hearing a scream and a thud. "There must be seven or eight of them in there!"

Iris glanced in quickly, nearly losing his head in the process. "The door! The bay door is closed! We're walled in!"

"Shit!" Nova looked for himself. Indeed, the large door through which they'd flown only ten minutes earlier was now shut. There was no way out.

He fired another shot, heard another cry. "Let's deal with one thing at a time," he said. "We've got to take these guys out!"

Deric, however, resolutely thrust his rifle at Iris. "Take it," he said.

"Deric! Now is not the time to get queasy about shooting someone!" He stood with his back to the wall by the door, firing sparingly into the bay.

The younger boy shook his head, pulling the smaller blaster out of his waistband. "I'm not. You guys get through to the _Pearl_. I'll get that door open."

Nova and Iris goggled. "What?!" said Iris. "That's suicide!"

Nova nodded. "Don't be crazy!"

"I'm not!" Deric replied. "This is the only way to do it! Besides, I'm a telepath. I'll be all right." He held Nova's gaze in his own for several seconds and, without waiting to hear more protests, he turned in the direction of Segment Four. "Just get through those guards! I'll come back! I promise!"

The last Nova saw of him was his backside disappearing around the bend before he hoisted his rifle, turned and began blasting into bay. There were six crewmen left.

"Cover me," he said to Iris, and dove into the large room, rolling behind a cargo container to use as cover. He could feel the vibrations as the large crate was struck repeatedly by rifle blasts.

He peeked around, nailing a crewman who was about to use a shuttle as cover. He fell sideways and backwards, striking the vessel and rolling over onto his back.

Every enemy's rifle in the room was now pointed directly at the crate he was using for cover, and he saw Iris out of the corner of his eye, bolting into the bay and shooting down two more guards before shielding himself behind one of the nearby shuttles.

There were only three guards left, but the air still felt alive with blaster bolts. Nova poked his head around his crate, and jerked back as a guard fired off a deadly accurate shot that nearly put a hole through his skull. _It's a standoff_, he thought.

There was the muffled sound of an explosion from somewhere outside the ship, and then the _Searcher _shook once more, a tremor that was much more forceful than the others had been. Nova was thrown out from his cover, but saw his chance. The guards were stumbling around, trying to regain their balance. He squeezed off three blasts, finally striking the one nearest to him. Pushing himself to his feet, he saw Iris pick off the last two crewmen.

"HULL INTEGRITY AT THIRTY-FIVE PERCENT AND FALLING."

Nova hurried over to Iris, who was holding his right side. He grimaced, pulling his hand away to reveal a scorched t-shirt and a light blaster burn. "Is it bad?" Nova asked.

Iris shook his head. "It's all right, it just grazed me." He looked past his friend to the _Midnight Pearl_, and his eyes widened. "Is that… You bought the Starbridge?"

Nova nodded, pulling him along. "I'll explain everything once we're off this bastard of a ship. Come on, we need to be ready when Deric comes back!"

They bolted up the boarding ramp and through the tiny corridor to the flight deck. Nova immediately checked the instruments. "They didn't do anything to her," he said. "We're in luck. We should be able to fly straight out."

The _Searcher_ shook again, and Nova held on to the pilot's seat for support. He heard the mechanical warning voice, unable to make out what it said. Iris looked around the console for the sensors, finding them and scanning the Pegasus. "The hull armour is down to twenty percent!" he yelled. "We can't stick around much longer!!"

_Come on, Deric,_ Nova thought.

A few seconds later, the com panel beeped, making both boys jump. Nova hesitated for only a few seconds before pressing the button. "This is the _Pearl._ We read."

The voice on the other end was nearly hidden behind a cloud of static. "Nova, it's Deric. I'm in Segment Five. I've found the controls for the shuttle bay door. Attempting to open it up… Stand by."

The com was silent for a few seconds. They could faintly hear the beeping of instruments on a console. The Pegasus rocked once again from yet another onslaught of weapons fire from the Auroran forces outside.

Then Iris looked out the window. "Nova! There's more of them!"

There were at least seven guards pouring through the door into the shuttle bay, three of whom were carrying – to Nova's horror – projectile launchers. They were going to try and blow up the _Midnight Pearl_.

"What the hell is going on with this ship?!" he said. "Pegasus freighters are only supposed to have a crew capacity of ten!"

Iris was frantically pushing buttons on the console, lowering the belly turret. "It's a smuggler ship!" he said. "There's at least a hundred of them on board, if not more!" They heard the sound of the turret descending from the bottom of the ship, and Iris immediately took aim at the men carrying the projectile launchers. Nova, meanwhile, activated the ship's shields.

He had them up just in the nick of time. The first projectile struck the side of the ship seconds later. There was a flash and a loud explosion, and the _Pearl _shook slightly from the impact.

"Shields holding!" said Nova. "Ninety percent."

"Returning fire!"

They heard the high-pitched whine of the belly turret powering up, and saw the blasts fire. The men managed to shoot off two more projectiles before they were mowed down at Iris' skilled hands. The remaining guards took to their feet, disappearing from the shuttle bay.

The com unit crackled again. "Nova, what's going on over there?"

"They were hitting us with explosives." said Iris. "We're all right. How's that door coming?"

"I've got it," came the reply. "It should be opening now!"

Sure enough, the heard a low rumble as the shuttle bay door slid open, revealing the blackness of space and the pinpricks of stars outside. They could see the carnage outside the ship. Nova watched as a Firebird exploded, sending bits of debris everywhere.

Then the Pegasus lurched again, and this time they saw why.

An enormous hunk of Segment Three exploded, loud enough for the boys to hear it quite clearly. They watched as the giant piece of fractured metal, severed from the segment, floated away into the fury, to be struck seconds later by a fusion pulse and smashed into pieces.

Nova slammed the com unit. "Deric, hurry up and get back here! This ship won't last much longer!"

His eye caught the sensors. Hull integrity was now at twelve percent. Even from inside the _Pearl_, the boys could hear explosion after explosion as the _Star Searcher _took more and more hits from the merciless Aurorans. They could hear the countless alarms, buzzers, sirens, all warning the crew of the doomed freighter just how much time they had left, which wasn't much.

The com link was falling apart, and they strained to hear Deric's voice. "I'm tra--going to try a--don't--ink won't hol--ee you in a--"

The link died out.

"Damn it!" Nova pounded the console with his fist. "Deric! _Deric!_"

Iris was pressing buttons frantically. "Nova! This ship's got about two minutes of life left in it! We've got to get out!"

"No!" the older boy yelled back. "Deric's coming! We have to wait for him!"

"We can't!"

"We _have_ to!"

Nova's eyes frantically scoured the remains of the shuttle bay. The ship was literally disintegrating at this point. They felt a sudden lurch as the floor began to buckle underneath them. A wayward fusion pulse flew directly into the bay, making both boys scream. It smashed into the shuttle near the door, blowing it to pieces.

Still, Nova watched. _Come on,_ he thought, _come on!_

The shuttle bay lurched once more. Iris was looking frantically at him, but Nova wasn't paying any attention. Images of his telepathic friend flew by his mind. The first time he saw him, curled up on his bed on Viking. His bold determination and timid courage. Tears formed in his eyes, clouding his vision.

"Nova!" yelled Iris. "We can't!"

_We have to,_ Nova thought.

And then something passed through his mind.

_'nova you have to leave now and save yourselves'_

Nova pounded the console. "It's not happening, Deric! That's not going to happen!"

"What?" said Iris. "Nova, what's going on?"

_'if you dont leave now youll both die get the hell out of here now'_

"_No!!_" Nova leaned desperately over the console. "I can't! I can't leave you behind, I just can't!"

The floor of the shuttle bay groaned loudly, and the boys felt themselves and the _Pearl _sinking lower. The bay itself was falling apart.

_'you already saved me once nova ill never forget that now you have to do this for you and for iris just get yourselves out of the shuttle bay before its too late'_

"I can't leave you!!"

_'nova GO NOW'_

"Nova!" Iris yelled again. "The _Searcher'_s down to five percent! We need to go!" Nova was stubbornly shaking his head. Iris put his hand on his shoulder. "Nova, Deric put himself out there so we could get out! Don't let him go for nothing!!"

And Nova whispered, "all right."

He threw himself into the pilot's chair, activating the lift thrusters. The _Searcher'_s hull integrity was at three percent. The boys felt the Starbridge lift away. They heard a great, groaning crack, and the floor split open, revealing the flames licking at it from underneath.

Nova turned the small ship, blasting as fast as the _Pearl _would carry them out of the shuttle bay and into open space. Tears were still streaming down his face. He forced himself not to look back as the Aurorans delivered their final, devastating blows to the doomed Pegasus freighter.

"_Searcher _hull integrity at one percent!" yelled Iris.

Nova swallowed heavily. "Goodbye, Deric," he whispered, just as a final wave of thought passed through his mind:

_'i love you nova'_

* * *

**August 6th, 1177 NC, 8:15 p.m.** The explosion of the _Star Searcher _shook not only the fleeing _Midnight Pearl_, but the hearts inside it as well.

From the surface of Lixos, all to be seen was a great, expanding star, making the skies of the day seem even brighter. And then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, it shrank back into nothingness, leaving no shadow of evidence that a ship called the _Star Searcher _had once flown in the planet's orbit.

The Auroran vessels moved away, turning their backs on the emptiness that was once a Pegasus freighter. All that could be found there was cold indifference. To them, it was just another disturbance of the system's peace.

But right then, at 8:15 p.m., a wave of sorrow seemed to spread across the galaxy.

Back in the Pimen system, on Rimerta, the Auroran technician had just stepped out of his shuttle upon his return to the spaceport when he stopped. Seemingly without reason, he gazed up at the sky, his mind and heart heavy.

On the Kane Band, in Kane's Lubritorium, the boys sitting around their usual table in that familiar little corner suddenly went silent. Their faces bore sober looks as they gazed down at their glasses. None of them knew why.

In the Tichel system, on the planet Viking, Albert Harrison, proprietor of the _Thor's Riches_ casino, turned off the holovid he'd been staring at, and gazed up at his ceiling. He stood, walking numbly out to his balcony, and he stared down at the countless people mingling and driving below. A tear formed in his eye.

And in the little Starbridge fighter, the _Midnight Pearl_, safely across the hyperspace threshold, Iris held tightly to his grief-stricken friend, who cried softly in his arms.


	7. Chapter 7: Syracuse

**NOVA**

**Chapter 7 - Syracuse**

* * *

**August 11th, 1177 NC, 7:34 a.m.** The atmosphere inside the _Midnight Pearl _was lonelier on the way back into Federation space. It was a bittersweet time. Neither boy said a word in the five days it took them to travel from the Aplix system back into Tichel.

Iris' mind was plagued with guilt. He couldn't shake the voice inside his head that told him it was all his fault. If he hadn't disappeared, if he hadn't accepted that booking on Lixos, none of it would have happened. Nova and Deric wouldn't have had to come and rescue him at all. But he did. And now Deric was...

He shook his head. There was no point thinking like that. He and Nova both knew it wasn't his fault. It wasn't anyone's fault. It just... happened.

He glanced at the console. They'd just left hyperspace, edging at sub-light speeds towards Viking. They'd only made one stop so far during the trip, back on Water Moon. But they didn't stay long. With each passing minute on the flowing, blue surface, more memories surfaced in Nova's mind. They left as they had come, in silence.

Iris glanced at him from the co-pilot's chair. His face was like a mask. It betrayed nothing, none of his inner thoughts. For a moment, the younger boy had to admire him for that. Strength. Nova had always been strong, tough. But Iris could see it, even if it didn't show on Nova's face. He could see the hidden conflict, the terrible grief.

And he honestly couldn't blame him.

"Going through the atmosphere," said Nova, startling him. "We'll be on land in a few minutes."

Iris looked at him, and then out the window. He hadn't noticed how close they were to the polluted system centre. He blinked and sighed, relieved that Nova had broken the silence. "What are we going there for?"

Nova adjusted their flight plan to bring them down toward Mayman. "I made a promise to him just before we left the Kane Band... I want to keep it." He reached into his pocket, withdrew Harrison's Stellar Trust card. "He had a big heart, you know."

Iris nodded. "I thought so. He... he must really have been something."

"Yeah."

They were flying low over the city now, and Nova looked across the endless roofs, finally spotting what he was looking for in the distance. The enormous holo-sign was shining brightly once more above the towering structure called the _Thor's Riches _casino. As Nova brought the _Pearl _closer, he could see the landing pad behind the duracrete building, and the _Runner _sitting atop it.

Careful to avoid the surrounding towers, he brought the ship around and extended the landing struts, slowly setting the ship down. They were now enveloped in darkness, the only light creeping in from the dim sky, the first hint of the morning.

"Wait here," said Nova, getting up from his seat and switching on the interior lights. "I won't be long." He headed out of the cockpit, and Iris heard him lower the boarding ramp and step out into the chilly air of the city.

Outside, Nova wrapped his arms around himself for warmth. He didn't really pay much attention to the cold, however. His mind, as it had been for the last five days, was otherwise occupied.

He walked to the building, noticed a back door, found it locked. He cursed, spotting an alley between the casino and its neighbour and setting off. The alley was very narrow, but it was thankfully well lit, unlike the landing pad. He remembered the night he spent in the hotel... _Good grief, _he thought, _that was over two weeks ago. _He wondered why he hadn't noticed the landing pad then. Maybe because the _Runner _wasn't there. Maybe because of the lack of light. Maybe both.

He shook his head. He was trying to distract himself, and it wasn't working. No matter what he tried, he couldn't shove Deric out of his mind. And he admittedly wasn't trying that hard. He didn't want to forget him. Just... stop being sad.

Easier said than done.

He left the alley, rounded the side of the building and walked into the lobby. He was numb to his surroundings as he stepped onto the anti-grav and punched in the code to take him to the twenty-first floor. Harrison still hadn't changed it. Even the toothpaste ad was the same.

He reached the top floor, walked onto the landing. It hadn't changed much either, the only difference being that it was now immaculate. No more garbage or food. No more puke. He felt relieved, but he didn't know why. Five more minutes and he'd leave and never come back.

He pulled the card out of his pocket once again, crossing over to the door. He crouched, placing it on the floor directly in front of the entrance. With any luck, Harrison would notice it the next time he left. But realistically, Nova was beyond caring about Deric's father or his bank card.

He turned to leave, eyeing the statues on either side of the doorway, the spotless marble that made up the floor. He stopped in front of the anti-grav and cursed. It had been called to one of the lower floors. He sighed, pushed the button, and slipped his hands in his pockets, waiting.

And then he heard the sound of a door sliding open behind him.

He turned slowly around to see Harrison, unshaven and unruly, standing in the doorway, clad only in his dressing robe and a pair of boxer shorts. He had a hand-blaster pointed at Nova's head.

"Don't make a move," he croaked. His throat sounded sore, his voice weak from lack of use. There were dark circles under his eyes, and he rubbed them furiously, keeping his gun aimed at the boy standing before him.

Obligingly, Nova stood still. He heard the anti-grav arrive behind him, the door sliding open, but he didn't move a muscle. And, surprisingly, he didn't want to.

They stood there for a long time, their eyes locked, each radiating with fury. Nova was terribly conscious of the weapon in Harrison's hand, but not afraid. There wasn't any room left in his mind for fear. All he could think of was Deric. This was the man who'd been responsible for it all. He wanted to lunge forward and wrap his hands around his throat. He wanted to punch and kick until there was nothing left. He wanted to scream.

But he didn't. _He may be a self-important scumbag_, he thought, _but_...

He shook his head. "No," he said. "I won't do this." He waved his hand at the card, sitting before Harrison's bare feet. "That's all I came to do. Take it."

Harrison stooped, keeping an eye on the teenager as he picked up the little, worn card. "This is..." He looked from the card to the boy, and back, unable to say anything else.

"I promised," said Nova. "He wanted to bring it back to you." He paused. "You hurt him deeply. But you were always his father."

Once again, they held each other's gaze for a long time. The hand-blaster remained steady. Nova's lower lip quivered. Minutes passed in tense silence.

Then, agonizingly slowly, Harrison lowered the hand-blaster. He stood weakly, a truly helpless man, dropping the weapon to the floor. But he still looked Nova in the eye, searching in vain for a shred of hope.

"Then," he finally said, "he's really..."

A tear formed in Nova's eye as he nodded silently.

Harrison looked down. "I... I had no choice... I never thought he'd..."

Nova sniffed. "If you'd been there... I have no doubt that you'd have been proud of him."

The man looked back to Nova, and then to the floor, leaning heavily on one of the statues for support. "I... my boy..." He collapsed to the marble, tears flowing freely down his face. He tried to speak, but no words escaped.

And as Nova stood there, his grim expression never leaving his face, he felt the first stab of pity strike him, looking down on the father that had lost his only son. There was nothing more to do. This man had suffered enough.

He stepped back onto the lift and descended slowly out of sight.

* * *

**August 11th, 1177 NC, 7:56 a.m. **Iris was fiddling with the control console when Nova returned to the ship. He looked up when the older boy walked in and slumped down into his seat. "How did it go?" he said, concerned.

Nova shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it."

Iris looked at the floor for a few seconds, and then looked back up. "I understand… I think."

Nova blinked. "I don't think you do. I… I don't really understand it myself yet."

"Understand what?"

The seventeen-year-old's hands were curled into fists. "He knew."

Iris' eyes narrowed. "Who knew? Knew what?"

"Deric knew the whole damn time that he wouldn't make it. I'm sure of it."

The younger boy sighed. "Don't start thinking like that, Nova."

"It's true!" he replied. "I knew it… I was sure when he looked at me. He knew he wasn't going to make it back before the ship blew. And I was stupid enough to let him go!" He slammed his fist on the console, lowering his forehead to his arm, the tears beginning to form in his eyes.

Iris put his hand on Nova's back, rubbing it gently. "Nova, it's not your fault. It's not anyone's fault…" He sighed. "These things… they just happen, okay? If you're going to blame anyone, blame…" His voice broke off, but he found it again and finished. "Blame me."

Nova shook his head, still resting on his arm. "No. Don't start that."

"Why?" said Iris. "If I hadn't gone on that booking, you wouldn't have had to come and look for me, and Deric would still be alive. How am I not to blame?"

Nova finally looked up. "But… that's not your fault at all."

"Exactly," he said, "and you're no more to blame for Deric's death than I am."

The older boy nodded, wiping his eyes. "Maybe you're right."

"I know I am." Iris turned back to the console. "Take a look at this… It was an obscure little thing in the corner of the console."

Nova glanced at the board.

Galley access restricted. Please enter password.

"I remember that," said Nova, eager for a distraction. "There's supposed to be some sort of little room behind this flight deck. Can you crack the password?"

"I was working on it before you came in," the younger boy replied. "I think I've almost got it…" He punched in a few more codes, prompting several "Access denied" messages. "See, I'm close, but the last couple of numbers are giving me trouble."

Nova sat back, stared blankly out the window. "What about 13?"

Iris shrugged, typing the two numbers in. The console flashed, and a new message appeared.

Password accepted. Galley access granted.

Nova stared at the console. "Wow," he said.

"How did you know?" said Iris.

Nova flipped his long hair off his face, his eyes narrowed. "Lucky guess," he said. "Open it up, let's see what's in there. I'm hungry."

Iris giggled. "Whatever you say, captain." He pressed the little button, and the boys turned around to see what would happen.

There was a loud hiss, and the section of the back wall next to the coffee synth began to slide upward, until it disappeared from view. A cloud of dust billowed out from the apparently seldom-used galley, and they could see nothing but darkness inside.

"Are there any interior lights?" asked Nova.

"I don't know."

The two of them got up, walking tentatively over to the little room. Nova took a step inside, and immediately the lights flicked on, illuminating the tiny space. The boys glanced around. It was, indeed, a miniature representation of a galley. There was a small table with a bench built into the wall, a food synth, and a floor-to-ceiling storage cupboard.

"A galley designed for two," said Iris thoughtfully.

Nova nodded. "It's a clever idea. I've never seen anything like it."

He sat down at the table, running his hand over the smooth metal surface, while Iris investigated the food synth. "Comforting to know you can eat on this ship," he said.

"Yeah," Nova replied distractedly. As soon as he'd sat down, something had bothered him. He felt goose bumps on his arms, rubbed them for warmth. But he wasn't cold. It was one of those gut feelings.

Iris noticed, leaning on the table. "Nova? You okay?"

Nova nodded hastily. "Yeah, it's nothing, I just feel weird all of a sudden."

Iris shrugged, turning to the storage cupboard. He opened it up, and then stumbled away in a coughing fit. When he faced Nova again, he was holding his nose. "There's food in there!"

Nova had already begun to wave away the smell. "Ugh," he said. "We'll have to clean that up. Wonder how old it is."

"Close it!" said Iris, waving his hands in a vain attempt to beat the odour back.

Nova made a move to get up, slipping his hand to the edge of the bench. Then he stopped. "Hold on," he said. "There's something here."

Iris, still holding his nose, closed the cupboard door and looked at him. "What? What is it?"

Nova felt around underneath the lip of the bench. "There's some sort of latch here. Two of them, actually." He hopped off the bench and stooped to get a better look.

Iris crouched next to him. "What do you think they are?"

"I think they're keeping the top of this bench attached to the bottom of it, that's what I think," he said. "Extra storage."

"Well, let's open it."

Nova made a face. "Could be another supply of food."

"We'll never know unless we open it up." Iris flicked open the latches, and Nova reluctantly helped him pull the top of the bench up, sliding it in their direction, towards the door. They lifted the cover and dragged it into the cockpit.

Iris was the first to return to the galley. Nova was busy leaning the cover against the wall when he heard the younger boy's startled yell. "Nova! Come quick!" He bolted back into the galley and nearly cried out himself, both hands covering his mouth.

Lying in the lower section of the bench, clothing draped limply across its form, was a human skeleton.

"Oh my God…" Iris was saying. "Oh my God…"

"Mother of Sirius…" said Nova. "What the hell is going on here?"

Iris shook his head. "All I know is I'm thoroughly grossed out."

Nova took a closer look at the skeleton. Its clothing was ripped and worn in places. There was a huge, charred hole in the green fabric, at chest level. Despite the wear and tear, Nova could see a small, white insignia on the left shoulder. Nova found it vaguely familiar, but he wasn't sure why.

Iris was breathing rapidly. "What are we going to do?"

Nova shook his head, leaning down for a closer inspection of the corpse. "His skin's been totally vaporized," he said. "See that? The huge hole in the uniform, the blackened bits of bone… Somebody hit this guy with a huge blast of… something."

"Uniform?" Iris said. "What makes you say that?"

Nova pointed to the little insignia. "I recognize that mark from somewhere. I'm not sure where, but I'm positive it represents some kind of organization. And look at this…" There was a metal tag around the skeleton's neck. Nova examined it closely. Two words were engraved on it. The first was "Schuborn." The second was "Koria."

Iris looked, too. "What does it mean?"

Nova's eyes narrowed. "This is some kind of dog tag," he said. "This is his name, here. Schuborn. He was enlisted somewhere, with someone."

"The Feds?"

The older boy shook his head. "Not the right uniform, not the right tag. No, this guy was with someone totally different. As for this Koria…" He paused. "I'm not sure what that means."

"A unit, maybe?" said Iris. "The one he was with?"

"Maybe." Nova stood. "Well, I think we've figured out the next thing we're going to do." He headed back onto the flight deck, activating the console and starting the ship.

"What?" said Iris.

Nova smiled grimly, watching the scenery as the ship lifted away from the casino's landing pad. "We're gonna play detective."

Within ten minutes, they'd cleared the atmosphere, escaped the gravity of the planet, and streaked off into hyperspace.

* * *

**August 11th, 1177 NC, 9:42 p.m.** The Kane Band didn't look any different to Nova as they settled down in the spaceport. Same old place. The Feds were still out in force, although the heat had died down somewhat. The Guild had been quiet for the last week and a half, it seemed.

However, where there had once been Fed officers, there were now flocks of civilians: traders, tourists, pilots, everything. Only once in his life had Nova ever seen the spaceport this crowded.

"I was hoping I'd never have to come back here," said Nova as the two boys walked down the boarding ramp. "I thought I'd seen the last of it when we left the shipyard."

Iris shook his head. "The Kane Band's the centre of the galaxy, Nova," he said. "It's hard to avoid sometimes."

Nova sniffed. "Pity, isn't it?"

Together they walked across the spaceport, fighting their way through the abnormal civilian presence toward the bar. "Think they'll be there?" Nova said.

"Someone always is."

They finally reached Kane's Lubritorium, walked through the door, and found themselves facing a wall of clothing, beer and flesh. The bar was full to capacity with every sort the boys could think of. Even the lethal blonde woman was there, in the far corner.

They pushed through the endless crowd toward the booths on the far side. Iris looked around, and then pointed. "Nova, over there! There's a few of our guys at a table in the back."

Nova looked, and saw them. There were two of them. The red-haired Sven was sitting in the farther corner of the booth, across from Atla, the boy from New Babylon. Nova grinned, shoving his way over.

Sven saw him coming and nearly shouted out, but then leaned across the table as Atla whispered something to him. Then he grinned incredulously, and called out, "Mayet!" before collapsing into fits of laughter.

Nova rolled his eyes, as he and a very confused-looking Iris joined them at the table. Sven was still laughing. "Mayet Domson!" he said. "My God, is it ever good to see you, Mayet old buddy! How've you been doing, Mayet?"

Atla grinned broadly. "Iris! We were worried about you! Where the hell did you go, anyway?"

Sven finally calmed down, and looked at him strangely. "What? What's all this about?"

Nova ran a tense hand through his hair. "What, nobody told you?"

"Hey," he replied, "don't forget, I've been on that Star Liner for the last couple of weeks. I only got back two days ago. Now, what's this I hear about a fake ID?"

Nova sighed, and began to explain the events of the past two weeks, beginning with his trip to Viking, moving to his discovery that Iris had gone missing, and finishing with their adventure in the Aplix system. By the end of the story, all the faces at the table had sobered, including Atla's.

"So that kid… I can't believe he didn't make it," he said.

Nova shook his head. "Neither can I, sometimes." The table was silent for a few seconds at that, but Nova soon recovered and looked up. "Anyway, Sven, you were just the guy I was hoping to talk to. Do you think you can get in touch with that old friend of yours?"

Sven's eyes narrowed. "Chaz? Chaz Timor? What do you want from him?"

Nova leaned forward. "Remember that one booking I had in Archenar?"

The redhead looked confused for a few seconds, and then he grinned. "Got another puzzle for him, huh?"

Nova nodded. "Think you can get him?"

Sven took a sip of his beer. "Actually, I'm lucky enough to know exactly where he's hiding these days." He leaned forward. "He's on Syracuse. It's in a system off Altair named Galvan. One of the most overpopulated places in Fed territory, so finding him there would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. But," he added, "I happen to be able to contact him. Get going, it's at least three or four days from here. I'll send him word you're coming. Give me a ring along the way, and I'll tell you the meeting place."

Nova had already pulled out his map. He spotted the Galvan system, four hyperspace jumps from Sol on a route that would take them straight through Kania. He gave an involuntary shudder. "All right," he said. "You'll hear from us." He put a hand on the redhead's shoulder. "Thanks, Sven."

"Hey," he said, "it's all right. Friend in need, right?"

Nova nodded, grinning, and then looked at Iris, jerking his head toward the pack of people. They stood and waded together through the living wall, finally bursting out of the door and into the open spaceport.

However, no sooner had they left the little building than Iris gave a startled cry and pulled Nova backward into the alley, pressing the both of them flat against the wall and glancing carefully out into the crowd. Nova started to ask what was going on, but Iris shushed him, and pointed to the mass of people. Nova looked.

Directly in front of Kane's Lubritorium, Nova saw two Federation officers, each with one hand on the shoulder of a third man, who was being escorted toward one of the Fed capital ships. The man, tall with a lip stud and excessively styled brown hair, had his head down, but Nova could tell instantly who it was.

"Frank!" he whispered. "What the hell's he been up to?"

The boys watched in secretive silence as the Feds marched Dorgan Cosmo's receptionist through the crowd, across the spaceport. They saw the three men disappear up the boarding ramp of the nearest Destroyer and out of sight. Only then did they step out from the alley.

Nova shook his head. "What's been going on, I wonder?"

"I don't know, but the heat's probably on Cosmo by now," Iris replied.

"Yeah…" Nova wasn't so sure. The Feds had supposedly thought the prostitution ring had been snuffed out when he'd been arrested. Could Cosmo have been stupid enough to put himself out in the open? No, that wasn't his style. Something else was behind Frank's arrest, and whether or not it actually did involve Cosmo was anyone's guess.

He shrugged. "Whatever. Good riddance to bad garbage." He glanced at Iris. "Come on, let's get going. We've got a few days' travel ahead of us."

They headed back through the crowd to the _Midnight Pearl_ on the other end of the spaceport. But Nova's mind was on Frank. He felt like he was missing something obvious, but he had no clue what it was.

* * *

**August 14th, 1177 NC, 8:09 a.m. **It was a comparatively quiet day in the Galvan system. Syracuse, mostly a heavily polluted metropolis, was still basking in the temporary fame it had received after Polaris ships had been spotted in the system.

Little was known about the Polaris, other than that they occupied the Galactic north-east, not too far from the outer rim of Federation territory. Few humans from the core systems had ever seen a Polaris ship, and many who had sought to map the unknown territory never returned. As such, the incident in the Galvan system intrigued many, and frightened many more.

The mysterious occurrence had raised several questions, one of the most prominent being: how did the Polaris pass through both the Kania and Altair systems undetected? The Federation had suspected the Polaris of developing cloaking technology, but until recently it had merely been speculation. Now, the government's fears seemed to have been justified.

So, as the _Midnight Pearl _drifted out of hyperspace and neared the system centre, Nova and Iris weren't altogether surprised to find Federation capital ships hovering in orbit. Syracuse was a bulbous green in the darkness, and the very thought of landing on its surface was enough to make Iris sick to his stomach.

Syracuse had been built upon to the point that the surface was only mildly hospitable on its upper levels. Overpopulation had been a problem on Syracuse for a long time, and environmental disasters had reduced the planet to a very undesirable state. Despite this, though, few people had left the surface, and the population was still in excess. It was, overall, the perfect planet on which to hide, if one could stand the smell.

Or, at least, that's what Sven had said.

They'd spoken with him during a brief stopover on Port Kane, a visit that Nova had tried to avoid. Had they not run low on energy, they'd have communicated with the Sven while in transit, or else waited until their arrival in the Altair system. They'd kept a low profile in Kania, gotten what they needed and were on their way very quickly.

Nova, now sitting comfortably in his pilot's chair, couldn't help his frequent glances back into the galley. They'd left the skeleton where it was, lying in the storage space in the bench. The dog tag was still around its neck, glinting in the occasional starlight. It was eerie carrying around what had once been a man's body. But on the bright side, it gave Nova something to think about. This was a mystery he planned to solve.

"We've reached the planet," said Iris, manipulating the controls from the copilot's seat. "Entering the atmosphere."

The ship jerked violently as the _Pearl _plunged through the dense atmospheric barrier, dipping below the thick cloud cover. They hovered closer to one of the cities, and Nova glanced at Iris. "This is where we're supposed to go, right?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. Hard to tell… All the cities here look the same."

This was true. Every city on Syracuse had been built atop huge, towering platforms. These platforms were not only the base of each city, but also housed people inside. Nova could see transports shuttling people from one tower to another, watching as it first dropped passengers off at the landing point atop the tower, and then drifted to the side to unload those who lived within it.

Nova sat forward. "I'll radio to one of the spaceports. Maybe they'll have an answer." He tapped the com panel, hailing the spaceport of the city nearest them. "This is the E.S.S. _Midnight Pearl _to control. We're looking for the city called Bufress. Requesting its whereabouts."

There was a pause, and then a reply. "Welcome to Syracuse, _Midnight Pearl_," said a cheerful voice on the other side. "As it happens, you contacted the right tower. This is Bufress."

"Thanks," said Nova. "Requesting permission to dock."

"Copy that," the man replied. "You're cleared to land in zone 32-A. Enjoy your stay."

Nova cut the link, and shared a look with Iris. "'Enjoy your stay,' he says. Think that's possible on a planet like this?"

Iris could only shrug.

They descended into the packed city. According to galactic time, it was just the beginning of the morning. In Bufress, the evening was progressing steadily into night, and every corner of the city was electronically lit up. Unlike Viking, there were no alleys left to darkness, and that made Nova feel slightly more comfortable somehow.

The spaceport was fairly busy. The daytime transports were setting down for the evening, while the night transports were just beginning to lift off. As a result, the docks were crowded not only with ships, but also commuters that were hurrying onto one transport or getting off another.

Nova plugged his nose as he walked down the boarding ramp, slipping the skeleton's dog tag into his pocket. To off-worlders, the smell took some getting used to. Folks who lived in the cities, especially those in the slums farther down, didn't even notice it anymore. Nova and Iris were thus somewhat conspicuous, holding their noses as they walked across the spaceport.

"We're supposed to meet him in the bar," said Nova. "Where is it?"

Iris pointed. "I see it. Looks pretty sketchy to me."

Nova shrugged. "What'd you expect? This _is _Syracuse, after all."

1They headed over, opened the door to the bar and stepped inside. One needed only to look through the window of the establishment to know the financial situation of the general populace. The place was divided into two sections: one for those who had money, and one for those who didn't. He wondered where they'd have to go to find Chaz, if it was possible to find him at all in this mess.

Iris wiped a few beads of sweat from his brow. "Well? Where do we go?" he asked, glancing fearfully at the section reserved for the bankrupt.

Nova had been looking in that direction, too, unsure of the wisdom of venturing into it. "I say we stay put. Chances are better that he'll find us than the other way around."

Iris nodded, and they headed into the area reserved for those who had money. It wasn't in much better condition than the other side. Most of the patrons were rough-looking thugs, looking as if they'd become accustomed to days of back-breaking labour. As such, none of them wore smiles on their faces. They never looked up from their mugs of beer, enjoying what must have been a rare treat.

Nova strode up to the bar and took a seat on a stool. Iris sat next to him. The bartender looked up from the glass he was cleaning, slung the filthy rag over his shoulder, and walked over. "What'll it be?" he said.

Nova remained nonchalant. "A couple of beers, and neither one of them in that mug." He gestured toward the glass the man had been cleaning, which still held upon it the grime of the rag he'd used.

The man shot him a dirty look, and went to get the drinks. Nova glanced at Iris. "Got any credits on you?"

Iris nodded, pulling a few chips out of his pocket. Nova grinned slightly. "Thought you said those smugglers forced you into 'free service.'"

"They did. I got these before, on the way to Kerella for another booking."

"Clever," Nova replied. "So those don't need Cosmo's authorization?"

Iris shook his head. "Nope. They're not from the actual booking, so Cosmo's got nothing on 'em."

Nova laughed. He'd forgotten that part.

The bartender came back with their drinks, took the credit chips and left without a word. Nova looked around himself, admiring Chaz's choice of a meeting place. It was the kind of bar where everyone blended in, like oversized chameleons. One would have to intentionally draw attention to himself to be spotted at all, something their contact didn't seem to want to do.

"You're sure he knows what we look like?" said Iris.

"Of course," Nova replied. "You heard Sven. He just hasn't seen us yet."

He was about to take a sip of his beer when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to face a huge, rugged man with a thick, black beard and a ring through his left eyebrow. He was wearing black from head to toe and had a mischievous grin on his rough-looking face. When he spoke, it was in a drawl that scraped out of his mouth in a manner that made it almost painful to listen to.

"Good evening, boys," he said. "You two don't look like you come round here much."

Nova eyed him curiously. It could have been Chaz, but he didn't think so; he'd seen this man before, but he couldn't remember where. "We're here to meet someone," he said. "What's it to you?"

The man, hands in the pockets of his leather jacket, shrugged. "Just wonderin' what a couple of innocent-looking boys like you two would be doing in a place like this. But then…" He leaned forward, and Nova winced at his unpleasant breath. "You boys aren't so innocent, are you?"

Iris shifted uncomfortably, but Nova kept his cool. "I wouldn't go around talking about innocence if I were you, buddy," he said.

"Now, now," the man said menacingly. "Don't you be so quick to preach. I happen to know all about that Dorgan Cosmo and his little ring of boys. And I also happen to know that you're one of the most popular ones on the market."

By now, Iris had gone red in the face. Nova sipped his beer. "Remind me why I should care."

He stroked his hairy chin. "I'd like to make you a proposition, boy. Suppose you come on back to my place in the neighbour system."

Nova laughed curtly. "I'm not in that business anymore, pal. I've got better ways to make money."

The man grinned again, showing his yellow teeth. "I don't remember saying anything about money."

The boy's face hardened. "If you think I'm gonna go with a smelly old ass like you, let alone free of charge, you'd better lay off the jaziwa."

It was the man's turn to laugh. "Got a little spike in you, don't you? Well, I don't expect you'd like me to tell the Feds about this business of yours. I'm sure they'd be very interested in what you've done for a living."

Nova turned back, and looked him square in the eye. "Yeah? What's my name?" The man's grin disappeared, and he hesitated. Nova turned back to the counter. "That's what I thought. Take a look at a picture, get your under-shorts interested, and forget the fuckin' details." He took another sip of his drink, and remembered suddenly where he'd seen the man before. "Besides," he said casually, "I bet the Feds are gonna be just as interested in what _you _do for a living."

The man stepped back, reaching into his pocket. "You want to say that again?" he growled menacingly.

Nova didn't flinch. "Vince Gorro, right? You and your pitiful little smuggler gang are all over the Fed wanted lists. What do you call yourselves again, the Black Tooth gang?" He chuckled. "In my line of work, you keep an eye on the news for that sort of thing."

Gorro glanced around himself, pulling his hand back out of his pocket. He was holding a small knife, concealed in his palm. "I'd keep your mouth shut if I were you, boy."

Nova laughed again. "What do you plan on doing to me in the middle of a crowded bar? Even you wouldn't be that stupid." He narrowed his eyes. "Funny, though, that we just happen to meet in this particular bar in this particular corner of space, don't you think?"

Iris looked nervous. "Nova…"

He ignored him, a look of dawning comprehension on his face. "Now that I think about it, you're the only other pirate group around besides the Guild and the Association, aren't you?" He turned to face Gorro, who was looking steadily more uncomfortable. "I get it now. You've been setting us up."

The pirate's face was twisted into a very hostile expression. "What the hell do you think you're talking about?"

Nova leaned back on the counter. "I can't believe I didn't figure this out earlier. The Viper attack in Hope, the _Star Searcher_… it all fits now. It was your gang the whole time. You were even in on the Tango incident, weren't you?"

Iris mopped his forehead. He remembered the Tango incident. It had been almost two months earlier. A boy named Delpha had been sent away on a ship called the _Solar Tango_, supposedly to a booking in the Nesre Primus system. They never heard from the _Tango _or Delpha again, and the man who'd hired him said he'd never arrived.

Nova was still talking. "And then you went after Iris next, didn't you? You set up that booking on Lixos and hijacked a Sigma ship to get him there. And then you figured out I was on my way to get him back, and you tried to stop me getting there, only it didn't work. But what I can't figure out now is: how the hell did you find out where I was going?"

Gorro was silent, and Iris looked at him. "He's right, isn't he?" he said. "You've been behind everything? Even…" He shot a glance at Nova. "Frank!"

Nova laughed once more and clasped his hands. "Of course. You're the ones who got Frank arrested. So you must have seen us back on the Kane Band. Well, that explains just about everything. Except…" The grin disappeared. "Why? What's in it for you?"

The man spat on the floor, a look of disgust on his face. "I don't think I owe you any fuckin' answers, you little piece of shit." He held up the knife, readied in his fist.

Nova's face remained firm, all traces of false good humour gone. "You owe me a lot more than that. You owe me my friend's life."

He and Gorro remained frozen for nearly a minute, eyes locked. Iris watched them fearfully as their gazes remained fixed, each daring the other to make a move. Nova's fists were clenched. The knuckles on Gorro's knife hand were white. The tension was thick enough to be cut with a knife.

Out of nowhere, there was a clicking sound, and a hand-blaster appeared at the side of the smuggler's head. The knife hand faltered. The man holding the gun spoke, a deep, menacing voice.

"Leave. Now."

Gorro's face went pale, and he dropped the little blade. It clattered to the floor next to his feet. He put his hands up and backed slowly away from the counter. The man with the blaster, a tall man wearing a black, hooded cloak, jerked his head toward the door.

The pirate, hands trembling, glared at Nova. "Just you wait, kid. I'm not through with you yet." He turned and headed swiftly out of the door, vanishing from sight.

The other man put the gun into a holster at his waist. The other patrons in the bar, who'd gone silent, quickly returned to their drinks, and the chorus of mumbling once again filled the atmosphere. The man sat down at the counter, and the boys turned to him.

"Thanks," Iris ventured nervously. "That wouldn't have ended well." He glanced back at Nova, who was still looking angry.

The man pulled back his hood, revealing a mess of short, auburn hair and sharp features. "He pissed me off." He glanced at the older boy. "You must be Nova."

Nova looked surprised. "Yeah, that's me."

The man nodded. "I'm Chaz. Sven told me about you. Said he did business with me before on your behalf. Sorry I'm late."

Nova waved his hand. "Whatever. That's not important." He pulled the dog tag out of his pocket and handed it to Chaz. "What do you make of this? Some kind of dog tag, I know, but I can't figure out anything else."

Chaz took one glance at it and handed it back. "That's a Rebel tag."

Nova's eyes went wide. "Rebel? There actually is a Rebellion?"

The man nodded, waving his hand at the bartender. "Until now, I had no idea where they were working from, but yeah. Ever seen those green ships around, with the little white insignia? You don't see many of 'em, at least not without Fed escorts nowadays. The man who wore that tag was working for them."

Nova nodded. "You said you figured out where they're coming from?"

Chaz sipped his newly-delivered beer. "Yup. Koria."

The boy looked again at the dog tag. "You mean this 'Koria' here is the name of a system?"

"That's the one." He took another sip. "Pretty hard place to find, actually, if you don't know where to look. I read about it. Off in the Galactic north somewhere." He shrugged. "That's about all I can tell you. It's one of the best kept secrets in this area of space. Look around north-east of the Nesre Primus system. I think it's around there."

Nova looked at Iris. "What do you think? Should we go for it?"

Iris nodded resolutely. "That's why you got the _Pearl _in the first place, wasn't it? To go places, to explore." He took the dog tag from Nova, eyed it closely. "Besides, I'd like to know what happened to this guy, and if that means a trip to the Galactic north, then hell, why not?"

Chaz chuckled. "You two've got more guts than brains, you know that?"

Nova's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"There's a lot going on up north nowadays," the man replied. "Marauders tend to pick those systems to attack traders. I even heard the other day that the Guild has a base of operations up there."

"The Guild of Free Traders?"

Chaz nodded. "The one and only. They're a clever group. That McGowan… I hear he's got the Feds under his thumb."

Iris looked confused. "McGowan? Who's that?"

Chaz took another sip of his drink. "The head of the Guild. As far as I know, he's been putting a lot of resources into staying in the Bureau's good books. And if you're in with the Bureau…" He shrugged.

Nova's face was grim. "Well, either way, I'm going up there. There's something in all this I don't like. And I feel like Gorro's group isn't finished yet, either."

"What's his problem, anyway?" asked Iris. "Something between him and Cosmo?"

"Must be. But it's not our problem now." He glanced at Chaz. "Thanks for your help."

He raised his glass. "Any time, boys."

Nova nodded, and together, he and Iris stood and headed out of the crowded, smelly bar. Chaz watched them leave, his face neutral. He took a short sip of his beer, still staring at the door. _Here's to you, kids, _he thought. _You'll need all the luck you can get._

He put down his drink and pulled up his hood, and vanished as silently as he had come.


	8. Chapter 8: Koria

**NOVA**

**Chapter 8 – Koria  
**

* * *

**August 21st, 1177 NC, 5:34 p.m. **It was a week after Nova and Iris' visit to the Galvan system, and the _Midnight Pearl _now flew through hyperspace between the emptiness of SPC-089 and the newly discovered, very isolated little system known as Koria.

It hadn't taken them long to find the Rebellion's exact location. Their trip to the Galactic north had taken them through the Nesre Primus system, where they had stopped on New Babylon to refuel. While Iris took care of the ship, Nova had gone to the bar to ask around. A very productive hour later, Nova had marked on his map the exact location of the Rebel system, just four hyperspace jumps away.

It had been an uneventful trip; the route took them through three empty systems which held nothing of interest besides the odd asteroid. If you didn't know exactly where you were, where you started or where you wanted to end up, the little maze of SPC systems would have you lost within a day or two.

But the ease of their journey had Nova on edge. He'd been expecting a move by Gorro and his Black Tooth gang, but they'd met with nothing along the way except for Federation patrols. Even so, whenever Nova was at the console, he stayed alert, ever ready to activate the shields or the weapons grid.

The two of them were now sitting in the little galley, sipping hot mugs of coffee. They'd stowed the skeleton back in the bench, dog tag and all. Neither boy wanted to look at it while they ate or drank. They were anxious, but excited at the same time, closer to solving the strange mystery they'd found hidden in the _Midnight Pearl_.

"What do you think it'll be like?" Iris said, leaning on his elbows and cradling his mug in his hands. "I mean, how do we know these Rebels aren't in hiding on some isolated planet? What if we can't find them?"

Nova shook his head. "I don't have an answer. We know they're there, so we'd just have to keep looking until we managed to find it."

"But…" Iris was unsure. "What if that skeleton's, you know, really old, and the Rebels aren't even in Koria anymore? We could keep searching for nothing."

"I don't know. We'll see when we get there. We might not even have to worry about that." Nova stood. "It won't be much longer, anyway. Last time I checked the navigator, there was an hour left."

He walked back onto the flight deck, settled into his chair. The navigator read ten minutes. He sighed, stretching. If this turned out to be as deep and dark as he had a hunch it would, it'd be a long time before he'd be able to really relax. Sure, there was hyperspace, but he preferred the relative security of uncertainty to the pressure of responsibility.

He ran a hand through his hair. He'd washed it in the sink two hours ago, and it was still fairly clean and soft. That comforted him. He didn't like being dirty. _Like a lot of gay boys_, he thought.

He closed his eyes for a moment. Life with Cosmo had been comparitively easy for him, a boy who'd been sure of his sexuality for years. Despite the fact that most of his bookings had been revolting in almost every way, there were still parts of each encounter that he was capable of enjoying.

He couldn't imagine being like Iris. He glanced back at him, still sipping his coffee. Nova couldn't help feeling sorry for him sometimes, a straight boy forced into his line of work by a world that wouldn't let him do anything else. Until now, anyway.

He sat back again. He doubted that Iris' sexual orientation was common knowledge. In their business, one didn't say too much about that. Nova wondered if he was the only one that really knew.

The train of thought carried his mind, once again, to Deric. However, no tears came to his eyes, no weight fell on his chest. Maybe he was finally beginning to let his friend go. He smiled. Deric would probably have been happy to know that.

But he thought about the night before they reached SPC-050, the night that they'd shared that passionate kiss. He wondered why he hadn't been able to go through with it, to really show Deric how he felt. Would anything have changed if he had?

He shook his head, and cleared his throat. "Less than ten minutes to Koria," he called. He heard Iris put his cup down and head out of the galley, eventually settling down in the co-pilot's chair. He let out a sigh, watching the stars shooting by on the other side of the window.

Nova ran a hand through his hair. "Iris?" he said, and the younger boy looked at him, a curious expression on his face. "Do you ever think about, you know, being with someone? Like, really being _together_… with someone you really care about?"

Iris closed his eyes. "Nova…"

"I'm not talking about me and you," the older boy said. "I just mean, you know, in general. Sometime in your life, you must have thought about that."

Iris narrowed his eyes, pondering that. "Yeah, I guess, sometimes," he said. "I never really met many girls, though. You know that. I haven't really been able to give it much thought."

"I know…" Nova stared out the window. "But there have to have been some times where you just thought, '_there's_ someone I could spend my life with.'"

Iris shook his head. "Not once." Again, he looked curiously at Nova. "What brought all this up?"

Nova shrugged. "Nothing. Just wondering."

Iris bit his lip, but said nothing. The navigator began to sound off, and he glanced at it. "Five minutes," he said. "We'd better get ready."

His companion nodded, sitting forward and checking the ship's status. "Everything looks good to go," he said. "Think we should put up the shields?"

"Yeah," Iris replied. "You can never be too careful, right?"

Nova grinned. _If you only knew, _he thought.

Minutes later, the streaks of light transformed into stars, the roar of the engines shrunk to nothing more than a low hum, and the Koria system appeared before them. Nova glanced around. There wasn't yet much to see; they were too far away from the system centre to make anything out besides the endless sea of stars.

"This is it?" said Iris. "I don't see any planets."

"Neither do I." Nova was uneasy. It was very quiet.

Almost too quiet.

Then, as Nova watched, he saw a small flash in the distance. Seconds later the proximity alarm went off, and Iris cried out in alarm. "_Watch out!!_"

Nova veered to the left just in the nick of time, as an enormous, blue projectile soared by them. It struck an asteroid, sending it sailing away but leaving it intact.

"Shit," said Nova. "They're hostile."

There was another flash, and Nova veered away again as yet another enormous, blue ball of energy shot by. "They're not missiles," said Nova. "Looks like they've got a blaster cannon, wherever they are, and it doesn't like the look of us."

Iris tapped a few keys on the console, and the sensor board lit up. "Nova! I've got a couple of ships heading straight for us. Rebel signatures. Shields up and weapons fully charged!"

"Shit!" Nova's hands began to dart across the console, as they had done so many times before. "Hang on, I'll try and shake them!"

The _Pearl _streaked forward, the blue Thorium engines flaring up and pushing them across the system's outer rim. The two Rebel ships neared, and Nova could see them on the rear display: Valkyries, but not ordinary ones. These were green, and bore the white Rebel insignia.

Seconds later, blaster bolts began flying past them, many splattering against the shields and rocking the ship about. Nova brought the engines to full. "Come on, baby," he said to the _Pearl_. "Show 'em your legs."

The Starbridge blasted further and further away from the invisible system centre, all the while twisting and turning, trying to shake their pursuers. The two Valkyries sent volley after volley of blaster bolts, pounding them again and again.

Nova glanced at the board. Their shields had already been reduced to seventy percent. "Shit!" he said. "Can you get a read of the armaments on those things?"

Iris shook his head. "No, I can't get any clear scans through their shields!" The ship rocked violently, and Iris looked again at the console. "Nova, they hit the com array! We're mute!"

"Well, get it working again!" Nova yelled, veering hard to port just as another shot from the Rebels' blaster cannon streaked by. "We may as well try and tell 'em we're friendly!"

Iris frantically began working with the array, and Nova weaved this way and that, trying to avoid the shots from the Rebel ships. The blaster cannon fired another shot, which passed directly between the _Pearl _and its pursuers.

Then Nova's eyes lit up. "I've got an idea. Get that array up and running, because we're gonna need it soon!" He turned the ship around, heading straight in the direction of the cannon in the invisible system centre. The Valkyries were still firing away with their blasters, which had successfully reduced the _Pearl_'s shields to forty-five percent.

Iris saw what Nova was doing and cried out. "Nova, are you nuts?!"

"Save it!" he yelled back. "That cannon's not designed to destroy ships, only to disable them! I'm gonna try and get it to knock these two bastards off our tail long enough to put a word through to the…" He peered in the direction of the blasts. "Iris, it's a space station!" He tapped a few keys on the sensors. "A space station called 'Rebel II!'"

"Two?!" he yelled back. "There's another one somewhere?!"

"Hopefully not in this system!" Nova took the ship into a corkscrew, still trying to dodge the blasts from behind them. The shape of the space station grew larger and larger as they drew nearer.

Rebel II fired off another blast, and Nova was ready. He brought the _Pearl_'s nose straight up, passing directly over the huge mass of energy. The bolt struck the lead Valkyrie in the nose, sending it spinning away, disabled.

Nova let out a cheer. "It's working! Just one more!" He could now see the sheer mass of the station, a design similar to Port Kane. The station area itself was in the centre, with three long docks jutting off of it in three different directions.

Now dangerously close, Nova veered portside, the ship's underbelly facing the structure. The Valkyrie copied the move, following them alongside Rebel II, still firing. The _Pearl_'s shields were now at eighteen percent.

Iris finally sat back up. "The com array's working!" he said, and glanced at the sensors, tapping a few keys. "Nova, I've got a reading on that cannon! It's nearly charged!"

"Steady…" Nova said, eyeing their falling shields' status.

"It's at ninety-six percent… Ninety-seven!"

"Steady…" Nova followed the station's wall, waiting for the right moment.

"Ninety-nine percent! It's preparing to fire!"

Nova nodded. "Now!"

He brought the nose of the ship away from the station, heading directly for open space. The Valkyrie, as expected, stuck to their tail. They heard the sound of the cannon, saw the huge, blue light, and then the second Valkyrie spun out of control, drifting away from the station.

"_Yes!_" yelled Iris. "Activating the com console!"

Nova heard the beep, and spoke immediately. "This is the E.S.S. _Midnight Pearl_ to Rebel II. Cease fire! We have come with peaceful intentions. We are not your enemy. Repeat, cease fire!"

Iris cried out. "Nova, some Rebel Destroyers just jumped in! They're heading for us!"

Beads of sweat appeared on Nova's brow. "Attention! This is the _Midnight Pearl_ requesting a cease-fire! We do not seek conflict! Please respond!"

"They're charging weapons!" said Iris. Nova could already see the ships, green clones of the prison ship _Nelson_. They were drawing nearer. "Nova, they're not stopping! We have to get out of here!"

Nova began pressing buttons, keying in the co-ordinates. "Have us ready to jump away. Just a few more seconds…"

Then the com unit crackled, and they heard a man's voice on the other end. "This is Rebel II. Stark, you've got a lot of nerve showin' your ass around here. Don't seek conflict, huh? What _are _you lookin' for this time?"

Nova and Iris exchanged confused looks before Nova keyed the console again. "Rebel II, this is the _Pearl_. We don't know who Stark is, and we've never been in this system before now. We've just come seeking answers."

There was a long pause, but when Nova glanced at the sensors, he was relieved to see the Destroyers deactivating their weapon grids. Maybe they did have a shot at this, after all.

Then they heard the man's voice again. "_Pearl_, would you care to repeat that last statement? You say you've never been to the Koria system? Who is this, anyway?"

Nova sighed with relief. "This is Nova Etoile and Iris Westen, and that's correct, sir. Until this week we didn't even know it existed."

There was another long silence, and then he spoke once more. "Would you boys mind telling me what in Omata Kane's name you are doing aboard the E.S.S. _Midnight Pearl_?"

"If you grant us permission to land," Nova replied, "we'll be more than happy to answer all of your questions. Our shields are nearly gone and we've sustained system damage otherwise."

The man on the other end of the line sighed. "Fine. I'll have our ships escort you to the southern dock. Don't you try anything funny." There was a short beep, and the com unit switched off.

Nova ran a hand through his sweaty hair, watching the advancing Destroyers warily. Iris was biting his nails. The two boys watched and listened as the large ships drifted toward them. "Odd," said Nova. "Using two capital ships to escort a puny little thing like ours. This Stark guy must have pissed them right off."

"We'll know soon enough," replied Iris.

They felt the ship lurch slightly as they were placed in a tractor beam by the Destroyer on their left, who proceeded to tow them toward the nearest dock. The other one followed closely behind, weapons once again charged. Nova couldn't help feeling like an innocent prisoner.

They reached the dock minutes later, and the Rebel ship released them from the tractor beam to land on the empty platform. It backed a few hundred feet away, charging its own weapons.

Nova sighed. "Does any of this strike you as unfair?"

Iris shrugged. "Personally, I never think it's fair to have a gun pointed at me."

Nova looked back to the control console, extending the landing struts and bringing them down, setting the ship lightly on the dock. The ship shuddered, and then stood still. He shut down the engines, turned off the power, and looked out the window. "Aw, for fuck's sake…"

Standing on the platform by the ship, clad in green uniforms, were no less than ten Rebel officials, each holding a hand-rifle. Their faces were all grim, but Nova didn't think there was any hidden pity.

He blinked. "Well, let's get this part over with."

The two boys walked out of the flight deck and down the boarding ramp, looking across the row of men that were ready to kill them at a moment's notice. A tall, bearded man stepped forward as they approached, gun at the ready. "Good afternoon, boys," he said. Then he glanced at the man to his left and nodded.

That man, in turn, gestured to four of the others, who promptly marched forward and up the boarding ramp, hand-rifles and scanners at the ready. Nova felt his face turn red. "Your hospitality has left me speechless," he said.

The bearded man chuckled. "You can understand why we'd be cautious, young man. We just want to make sure you're not going to stir up any more trouble."

Nova scowled at him. "As far as I'm concerned, you made up your minds about us before we had a chance to cause any trouble at all. I take it you treat every civilian ship like that?"

"Nope," the man replied. "You just picked yourselves the wrong ship."

Ten minutes later, there were footsteps, and then one of the men who'd been sent to search the ship hurried down the boarding ramp. "Sir, we've found something." He moved away as the other three men appeared, carefully carrying the Rebel soldier's skeleton between them.

"We found it in a small storage bench behind the flight deck," said one of the men. "It's been there for quite some time."

The bearded man's eyes widened slightly, and he glanced back at the two boys. "So, you two _were _hiding something after all."

"Just the opposite, sir," said Nova, pulling the dog tag out of his pocket. "He's the one that led us to you."

The officer took the tag and examined it. His face fell slightly. "Schuborn…" He looked up. "Well, boys, looks like you stumbled on something very peculiar indeed. Follow me, please." He turned in the direction of the main station.

"Hold it," said Iris. "What about the _Pearl_? What's going to happen to it?"

The man glanced back. "Well, I suppose we'll just have to wait and see. Meanwhile, there are people here who'd be very eager to speak to the two of you. Gentlemen," he said, addressing the other soldiers, "let's take these two to see General Smart."

* * *

**August 21st, 1177 NC, 6:42 p.m. **From the spacious office on the highest deck of the space station Rebel II, there was a perfect view of Koria's hypergate, opening every now and then and depositing a starship into the system. Most of these were Rebel capital ships, IDA Frigates and the like. Every now and then, one would see a massive freighter or a civilian merchant vessel, the Rebellion's eyes and ears within the Sigma Shipyards Corporation, the largest shipping company in the sector.

Sitting at his desk by the window, General Cade Smart sighed deeply. He'd often sit and watch the hypergate traffic when he wanted to take his mind off of things. The marvels of modern space. A single hypergate jump could turn a two-week journey through normal hyperspace routes into a ten-second volley directly from start to finish.

It was Omata Kane that first designed the brilliant system, constructing the first one in Sol, next to Earth. Her system expanded quickly, revolutionizing the way mankind looked at the stars. Journeys that would have taken hundreds of years by conventional sub-light engines were made in a matter of hours.

General Smart grinned. That was all eleven hundred years ago. Before the Sol hypergate was destroyed. Before the long Dark Age where the human race was disconnected, spread apart across the galaxy with nothing left of the golden age besides the crippled ruins of the now useless hypergates.

Even before the Federation came to power over two centuries previously.

Smart laughed to himself at that thought. The stench of corruption had been held under the people's noses for more than two hundred years and barely any of the population had bothered to take a sniff.

_That's what we're here for_, he thought.

There was a beep from his desk's com panel, and he tapped it distractedly. "Yes?"

"Sir, we have the two boys from the _Midnight Pearl_."

He sighed again. "Bring them in."

Seconds later, his door slid open and the teenagers were led into the office. He looked them over. "Good afternoon, boys," he said, and then glanced at the bearded officer who'd brought them in. "Thank you, Mr. Connelly. You're dismissed."

The officer named Connelly saluted and promptly left the room, leaving the general alone with Iris, who was looking around the room curiously, and Nova, who had an annoyed look on his face.

Smart glanced at the sheet of lucent in his hand, stroking the stubble on his chin. "I suppose there's still room for formalities. The name's Smart, but you can call me General."

"If I may, General," said Nova, "I don't particularly appreciate being treated like a criminal, or being kept in a holding room with a hand-rifle pointed at my head for the better part of an hour. In my mind, that puts us beyond civility."

"Fair enough, I suppose," the general replied. "However, you'll understand that being the secret organization that I like to think we are, we don't like to take chances."

Nova shrugged. "Innocent blood is innocent blood, General. I hate to think what happens to other civilian ships that aren't as lucky as us."

Smart narrowed his eyes, and then grinned slightly. "Touché. There's a small flaw in that logic, though." He looked out the window. "You may have guessed by now that this isn't the first time we've heard from a ship called the _Midnight Pearl_."

"I had," said Nova. "I also guessed that you didn't like that ship very much."

"Or, more to the point, the person who flew it." He stood, leaning on his desk. "But, then again, that information is classified, so that's all I'll say. What I'd really like to talk about is how that ship fell into your hands."

Nova laughed shortly. "That's an easy one. I bought it, used, from a shipyard on the Kane Band, with the ID of Mayet Domson."

"Yes, I'd wondered about that part," said Smart, glancing again at his sheet of lucent. "What's your real name again?"

"Nova. If you hadn't guessed, the Feds don't like me too much at the moment."

The general grinned. "Which, in a way, gives us some common ground."

"I'm not here to find common ground, General, or to answer questions," said Nova. "I'm here to get some answers of my own."

The man raised his eyebrows. "Tough talk, for someone in your position." He glanced at Iris. "And what about your silent friend, here? Doesn't seem to want to say much."

Iris looked at him fearfully, and then at the floor, still saying nothing.

Nova scowled. "That's normal for someone who's scared shitless. Think about it from our perspective, General. We're in the system for about five seconds before we're nearly obliterated by you and your Rebel lackeys, guided to land with weapons trained on us, kept at gunpoint while our ship – _our ship_, General – is searched for weapons of mass destruction, and marched up here like criminals on death row, all for what turns out to be a case of mistaken identity." He crossed his arms. "I think, after all that, you _owe _us a few answers."

The general paused, still leaning on his desk. A few moments passed before he spoke again. "All right. What do you want to know?"

"For starters," said Nova, "what was a dead Rebel skeleton doing in the galley of my ship?"

Smart's eyes narrowed. "Funny, I was going to ask you the very same question."

There was a pause, and then Nova realized what the general was saying. "You think _we _killed him, don't you?"

He shrugged. "I'm only putting together what I see: two boys, appearing in a system in which their ship is a notorious nuisance, happen also to have the corpse of a dedicated Rebel officer on board, one who disappeared some time ago. What am I supposed to think?"

"You're supposed to look at the facts, General, not to jump to conclusions." Nova waved at the lucent. "You've got your sheet there. Tell me, how old does it say that corpse is?"

Smart bristled, but checked the sheet anyway. "Our analysis told us it's been in that container for at least two months."

Nova nodded. "Good. And I'll assume you've checked the ship's internal logs?"

Smart shook his head. "We've extracted them, but haven't read through them. What's your point?"

"Whenever you get around to doing that," Nova replied, "you'll find that the change of ownership of the _Midnight Pearl_ happened at 3:00 p.m. on July 31st – less than a month ago."

General Smart nodded slowly. "I see. Well, that appears to clear your names of that charge. However, I'll warn you right now that if you ever again speak to me in such a fashion, I'll have you thrown in the brig."

"Deal," said Nova. "Now, with all due respect, I'd like to ask a few more questions. For starters, who is this Stark guy?"

Smart sat down again. "Young man, I'm afraid that information is classified, besides which you two already know much more than you should about our Rebellion."

Nova's face fell. "Sir, I've told you that I'm not in the Federation's good books."

"That's why you're still alive," he replied, causing Nova's mouth to dry and Iris' face to turn white. Smart saw their reactions and shrugged. "I told you, we don't like taking risks, for our own safety. Seeing as you don't seem to hold the Feds in any sort of regard, I feel we can trust you not to tell them our location. However, I can't risk telling you anything else."

After a moment, Nova nodded. "I understand."

The general sighed, running a hand through his short hair. "Now, since your ship will still need repairs, I can offer you a place to stay for the night, and safe passage in the morning. Beyond that, my hands are tied, I'm afraid."

Nova was about to say more when there was a beeping sound from the door. The General looked past the two boys and said, "Come in." Nova turned around to get a look.

The man who entered was not wearing a Rebel uniform, as most of the inhabitants of the station were doing. He wore a black suit, and his shoes rang out loudly with each step he took. He was only average height, but something about him made him seem taller, or more impressive. He had stone-like features, and facial stubble that apparently hadn't been shaved in days. His eyes and hair were dark, foreboding. He walked with a confident stride, as if he feared nothing the Galaxy had to offer.

"Oh, I see you're busy," he said, in a casual, friendly voice. "I'll come back in a few minutes."

The two men shared an odd look before the General replied. "Uh… yes, absolutely. Send Connelly in when you head back out, will you?"

The man in black nodded, and swept out of the room. Nova eyed him curiously. There was something odd about him that he couldn't place.

General Smart shook his head. "I bet that means I'll have more work to do tonight." He looked up, spotted the bearded officer entering the office. "Mr. Connelly, find these two a room for the night. Also, get the repair crews to work on their ship and ensure that it is returned to the dock by tomorrow morning."

A curious look came across Connelly's face. "Pardon me, sir? Find them a room?"

"That's what I said. Oh, and make a point of having the _Pearl_'s internal logs analyzed. I want to see the facts on my desk before I go to bed tonight."

Connelly saluted. "Yes, sir." He then glanced at the boys, a very dissatisfied look on his face. "Follow me."

Sharing a nervous look, Nova and Iris obediently followed the bearded officer out of Smart's office.

Connelly led them back out the door and into the anti-grav, descending three floors before leading them back out of the lift into a very small corridor lined with doors on either side. The corridor branched off several times, but Connelly just kept walking straight ahead. Nova glanced at some of the room numbers they passed. 108… 157… 231… and still they kept on walking. He was beginning to wonder just how large this place was.

They finally reached a lone room at the very end of the corridor, and Connelly slid a keycard into the slot next to it. The door opened to reveal a very small, dingy little room. Iris stepped nervously inside and Nova followed him, eyeing the place. It was one of the crew quarters of the station, but this one wasn't kept in very good condition. Seldom used, he supposed. It had one small porthole and three interior lamps, and only one of them worked as Nova attempted to turn them on. There were two beds, one on the floor on the right side of the room and the other mounted on the wall above the first. Iris sat on the lower one, and coughed as dust rose from the old covers and mattress.

Connelly cleared his throat, and the boys glanced at him. "This is where you'll sleep tonight. You're expected to stay in this room until we come to collect you in the morning. If you are seen anywhere else in the station, you will be detained. We will take you tomorrow to the spacedock and your ship." He stepped back out of the doorway, and scowled. "I don't know what you told the General, or how you managed to pull the wool over his eyes, but that isn't going to work with me."

Nova frowned. "We didn't pull the wool over anyone's eyes, sir. You seem to be doing a commendable job of that yourself."

Connelly snorted. "Sure. Sleep tight, punk." He turned and headed back down the corridor, and the door hissed shut behind him.

Nova sighed, and glanced at Iris, whose skin was still somewhat pale. "I don't think he likes us very much."

"Likewise," the younger boy replied. "So, what? You think they'll really let us go?"

Nova shrugged. "Sure. They have no reason not to. It's just that Connelly guy… but he's no General, after all. Yeah, we'll get out of here fine." He glanced at the chrono on the wall. It was only seven o'clock.

Iris yawned. "I think I'll hit the sack, I guess. I'm really tired."

Nova nodded. "I guess I will too. Not much to do around this room of ours."

He smiled grimly. "Good night."

"'Night," Nova replied as he clambered up onto the top bunk. He switched off the one functioning lamp and lay on his back. A few minutes later, he heard Iris' rhythmic snoring; the boy must really have been tired, he thought.

But Nova, exhausted as he was, could only lay awake on his back, hands behind his head, thinking. He stared at the grimy ceiling, his mind spinning. He'd stumbled upon something really big, here. What had his little _Midnight Pearl _been in the past? Who was this Stark guy, and how was he involved with the Rebellion?

And then he thought about what he'd seen. A whole organization, working under the noses of the Federation. A great, big, secret society, all contained within one system in one little abandoned corner of space. They even had their own hypergate, for Sirius' sake. From what Nova could tell, they had a whole network going on, right in the middle of Federation space.

He flipped over onto his stomach, staring out the porthole. He could see the hypergate from here, watching the ships launching in and out. He saw the Destroyers… Federation technology used against its own creators. He admired that.

He saw some large cargo crafts shooting out of the gate and into Koria. Leviathans, Terrapins, he even saw a Pegasus appear through the portal. Sigma Shipyards. The Rebellion had infiltrated Sigma Shipyards. They had an ear right inside the Federation. Nova couldn't keep himself from smiling.

He turned back over, eyes closed in thought. Until now, he hadn't been able to give any sense of meaning to his life. All he had to his name was a little Starbridge, which apparently had as much history as his own life did. Now, here he was, sitting in the middle of something much larger than he was, and much more important, struggling to fight a force that consumed and corrupted most of the galaxy.

And also, what about that Stark character that had been mentioned? Why was he in the Rebels' bad books? Had he been responsible for what had happened to Schuborn, the corpse in the cargo bench? What exact history _was _there behind the _Midnight Pearl_? Nova wasn't going to give up until he found out.

Besides, he had no love or respect for the Federation. It was about time he chipped in to bring it down.

Still thinking, he drifted off into a deep, contemplative sleep.


	9. Chapter 9: Merrol

**NOVA**

**Chapter 9 – Merrol**

* * *

**August 22nd, 1177 NC, 8:45 a.m.** Nova, back in the office at the top level of the space station _Rebel II, _stood before the desk of a flabbergasted General Cade Smart.

"You want to _what?_"

"Join the Rebellion," Nova replied, his hands clasped behind his back.

The General glanced from him to Iris, back to Nova, and then once again to Iris. "Is he serious?" he said, unconsciously massaging the back of his neck.

Iris, who was just as confused, shook his head. "This is the first I've heard of it." He turned to Nova. "Are you really serious?"

The older boy nodded. "Never been more serious in my life."

Iris ran a hand through his hair, pacing around uncomfortably. Nova hadn't said a thing to him about this the night before, nor had he that morning. All he knew was that they'd been taken to the _Midnight Pearl_, whereupon Nova had demanded to see the General.

Smart, for his part, was now massaging his temples. "I can't believe this…"

"Hold on," said Iris, putting his hand on Nova's shoulder. "Can I just speak with him in private for a moment?"

Smart started to say something, and then just sighed again and nodded.

Iris pulled his friend to the back of the office, and spoke in a tense whisper. "Nova, are you out of your goddamned _mind_?"

Nova shook his head, a grin on his face. "Calm down and think about it. We've stumbled on something big, here! Just think for a minute: Captain Nova Etoile and Captain Iris Westen of the Rebellion. Right? Listen to the sound of that. We could be in on all of this!"

"That's what scares me, Nova!" Iris looked agitated. "Look, I know we always planned on going out on all sorts of adventures but this is… this is serious stuff! Do you even realize how dangerous it'd be?"

Nova shook his head. "I know, but that's part of the appeal! The excitement, the exhilaration. It could be the greatest thing we ever did!"

"But we've already got that Gorro guy gunning for us. We'd have the whole Federation on our asses if they found out we joined up with the Rebellion."

He sighed. "Iris, listen. You're right. We've got Gorro after us. But the Feds are already after us. That's why this would be such a good move. We'd have allies, Iris! We'd have the big guys on our side!"

Iris was silent, still unconvinced, and Nova looked him in the eye. "Look, we've already faced all sorts of danger, and we survived. We took down a whole ship full of smugglers, and we out-flew the Rebellion's own fighters. Now, we've got a chance to be a part of something, and not just any old ragtag band. I mean, these guys have their own hypergate, for Sirius' sake! They've got eyes and ears and ships all over the place! They could really stand a chance against the Feds, and we could help bring the bastards down! How can we pass up an opportunity like that?"

Iris bit his lip, thinking. He stayed that way for many long moments. "Please, Iris," Nova said. "I… I _need _to do this. We've both taken a lot of shit from the Feds and you know it. This is our chance to take our lives back."

Finally, grudgingly, Iris nodded.

Nova sighed again. "Thanks."

He turned back to the General. "Well, sir? What do you say?"

Smart was leaning on his crossed arms on the desk. "I don't know what to say, boys."

Nova leaned on the desk. "Sir, think about it. You've seen us fly, you've seen us fight. We've made it clear that we can't stand the Federation. The way I see it, we'd be a decent asset. And our ship is about the fastest of its kind."

The General sighed. "That may well be, but you're just kids!"

"That's only partially true, sir," Nova said. "I haven't thought of myself as a kid for a long time. We've been through a lot." He stared out the large window as he spoke. "Iris and I have been from one end of this galaxy to the other. We've been in a lot of dogfights, had a lot of tight scrapes. Nearly been killed more than once. If it weren't for the Federation, sir, we'd be leading perfectly normal lives."

The General shook his head. "How can you have been through so much at your age? And what do the Feds have to do with it?"

He swallowed heavily before continuing. "I owe the Feds for a lot of the pain and suffering I've been through. You'd like to know my past? I've been working as a prostitute since I was thirteen years old. I've been degraded, humiliated, and I've never really had a life to call my own. Neither of us have."

Smart retained his poker face, but his eyes widened slightly. He said nothing. Iris bowed his thinking.

Nova closed his eyes, assaulted by painful memories. "I had a family once. But that was a long time ago. I was a street kid, General. The Feds took everything away from me, and from Iris, too. All I'm asking is that you let us pay them back for all the shit they've done to us."

The General looked him in the eye for several seconds, and then sat back in his chair, his hands clasped. He swiveled around, looking out the window at the space beyond it, and the hypergate. After several long minutes, he chuckled. "Hard to argue, really, after watching you fly circles around my ships out there." He turned back to face Nova. "Fine. I'll give you boys a shot."

Nova's face lit up. "Really?"

Smart held up a finger. "Hey, hold your horses. Yeah, I'll give you a shot, but you're not getting into the real work without doing the proper time first." He looked the two boys over. "You've got a fast ship, so I'm gonna send you down to Merrol in the Aldebaran system to do supply runs for us."

"Aldebaran?" Iris repeated. "That's right in the middle of Fed space!"

The General grinned. "Darn right it is. Most of our covert operations run out of Merrol." He leaned forward, clasping his hands again. "The supply runs are what we out here refer to as the 'bottom rung.' Prove your worth out there, and you might get in on the important stuff."

"Climb up the ladder," Nova said.

"Exactly." He sat back. "When you get to Merrol, go to a small island just south of the largest continent. At the spaceport there, head for the bar and look for a guy named Jay. He's the dockmaster, but he spends his off-duty time in the bar, so he should be easy enough to find if you ask around a bit. Tell him I sent you."

Nova nodded. "Will do, sir. Thank you."

The General nodded back. He then moved to call in one of the guards to escort them out, and then paused. "I suppose you two can find your way back to the spacedock on your own?"

"Yeah," said Iris. "We'll be all right."

He sat back. "Well then, good luck, boys."

Nova and Iris saluted as smartly as they could, and then turned and headed out of the office. The lone guard on the other side of the door watched them pass silently as they went into the anti-grav and started downward, toward the spacedock.

The silence ended on the lift.

As soon as they felt the anti-grav begin its descent, Nova turned excitedly to Iris. "Can you believe this? In a few days, we'll officially be working for the Rebellion!"

Iris, whose apprehension had faded, was also grinning. "You were right, Nova. This could be a huge step forward." He paused a moment at that. "Maybe now I'll know what it's like to be… important."

Nova looked at him curiously. "What do you mean?"

He shrugged. "Well, you know… When we were working with Cosmo, you were at the top of the Hot List, bookings all over the place, about the most popular boy in the business, and I was just… there. I never got called out as much as you did. I guess I never really felt like I was playing any important role."

Nova shook his head, putting his hand on the younger boy's shoulder. "Iris, be thankful. That's not the kind of business where you want to be an important contributor. That's why we left, remember?" He leaned on the wall. "Besides, you've always been important to me. You know that."

Iris laughed shortly. "You're just saying that."

"No," said Nova seriously, "no I'm not. After what the Feds did, when I ended up sucked into Cosmo's business, you were the closest thing I had to family. I remember…" He chuckled. "I remember talking to Deric about it, on the way to Aplix. He asked how important you were to me."

Iris giggled. "What'd you say?"

"I said I thought of you as… my brother."

The younger boy smiled, looking at the floor. "Same here, buddy." Then he laughed bitterly. "I guess that's the one good thing the Feds did, isn't it? If it weren't for them, we'd never have known each other at all."

Nova couldn't think of an answer to that.

The anti-grav presently slowed to a halt, and the boys stepped out and followed the corridor that led to the southern dock, and the _Midnight Pearl_. They walked all the way to the end of the platform, where Connelly and another young soldier stood waiting for them.

Connelly had his arms crossed. "Took your sweet time, didn't you? You don't think I got better things to do than wait around here for you to show up?"

Nova shrugged. "I wouldn't know. Is she ready to go? We want to be in the Aldebaran system before the end of the week."

Connelly's eyes widened slightly. "Aldebaran? You're going to Aldebaran?" By now he was working hard to keep himself under control. "I can't believe this shit." He started furiously toward the station, stopped, and glared at the boys. "The General might have bought into this, but don't think for a minute that I trust you!" He stormed off, muttering angrily to himself.

Iris watched him go. "What's with him, anyway?" he said to the other officer.

The man looked at him. "That guy Schuborn you carried back was a good friend of his. He'd been missing for a very long time, actually, and we'd all feared the worst anyways, but Connelly… he just kept clinging to that hope."

"That's all fine," said Nova, "but what does that really have to do with us? All we did was bring back the body."

The officer laughed grimly, watching the door Connelly had disappeared into. "I know that and you know that, and the General knows that, but it'll be a long time before Connelly warms up to you. He's always had a short fuse, that guy. Just give him lots of time, and lots of room, and you'll be all right." He then turned to the boys. "So you're doing the supply runs, huh? Gonna be a part of us Rebels?"

Nova nodded. "Hope so."

The man leaned forward. "Just a word of advice. Watch out for a man named Frandall. He's a mysterious guy. He's supposedly part of the Rebellion, but I don't think we're his only connections. He tends to come and go, and does what he wants." He laughed. "Never come across a more pleasant fellow to be around, but don't let that fool you, neither."

"I'll remember that," said Nova.

The officer smiled. "Good. By the way, the name's Bentley." He held out his hand, and Nova shook it. "Give me a holler if there's anything else you need to know."

The boys nodded. "Will do," said Iris.

Bentley headed toward the station, and Nova and Iris started up the boarding ramp. As they took their seats on the flight deck, the younger boy glanced at his companion. "Supply runs, huh?"

Nova nodded. "Gotta start somewhere."

"Think we'll get paid for it?"

He chuckled. "Only one way to find out."

The _Midnight Pearl _lifted away from the spacedock. A few minutes later, it had disappeared into hyperspace.

* * *

**August 26th, 1177 NC, 8:39 p.m. **The Aldebaran system. Since it was only one jump away from Nesre Primus, Aldebaran enjoyed a high population and a bustling economy. The system was constantly full of Federation and civilian ships alike, thought of as a secure outpost in northern Federation territory.

That was where the error lay.

Hidden directly south of the limelight was the tiny little planet called Merrol. Like most planets outside the system centre tended to be, Merrol was commonly overlooked and rarely visited. It was a modest little planet, only half the size of Haven, Aldebaran's dominant world, with less than half the population. For this reason, the Rebels had thought it was the ideal staging ground from whence to spread their ideas into the sector.

They were right. The Feds hadn't yet clued in – much like Viking, Merrol was considered far too close to the Federation to be involved in anything suspicious. What Fed ships there were in the system stayed well clear of the planet, most often because they had better things to do.

As such, Nova and Iris didn't run into much trouble during their approach. The _Midnight Pearl _sped past the Federation Carriers and Destroyers, none of whom batted an eye as the little Starbridge neared the out-of-the-way planet.

It was very much like Earth in every respect but size, Nova noted. Granted, there was nothing like the Kane Band to make it look uglier, however the atmosphere was very similar, along with the vegetation and terrain.

Their ship descended roughly through the atmosphere and drifted in the direction of the spaceport on the little island General Smart had mentioned. It wasn't very busy, and Nova could understand why. It was an obscure little island on an obscure little planet. It didn't get much better than that for secrecy.

They stepped off the ship into the cool evening air. There was a grand total of two ships on the dock around them, and more than half of the spaceport was empty. "Wow," Iris said. "Kind of lonely."

Nova shrugged. "Peaceful. Tranquil. You won't find many ports around like this."

"I guess I'm just used to the crowds and the smell," the younger boy replied.

Nova chuckled. "Lousy thing to get used to."

They headed for the bar. They could hear birds in the trees that were lining the large landing pad as they walked, a sound Nova hadn't heard in a very long time. All they could hear on Syracuse was the squawking of airborne reptiles.

"I wonder if people ever woke up on Earth to the sound of birds chirping," Nova said absentmindedly.

Iris laughed. "Sure. I bet they still do, in some places. Hard to imagine it where I come from, though."

They opened the door to the bar – a building made out of real wood, Nova noted – and glanced around when they stepped inside. It was a very rustic place. You didn't see many buildings around made of anything but steel and duracrete. It was cozy, with soft lighting and a glass-topped bar.

They sat down on a couple of barstools, and Nova waved over the barkeep. There weren't many patrons in the place, and it wasn't long before he was able to finish up what he was doing and walk over. "Evening, boys," he said. "I'm betting you're not legally old enough to drink anything I've got for you, but…" He chuckled. "Folks around here tend to toss the Fed laws to hell, anyway."

Nova shook his head, laughing. "We're good for now, thanks. We're actually looking for someone."

"Yeah?" He leaned on his elbows. "I might be able to help you. Who might this be?"

"We heard that the dockmaster spends his free time in here," Nova replied. "We were hoping to talk to him."

He raised his eyebrows. "Jay? Yeah, I know him. What do you need?"

"That's kind of private," said Iris. "We were told we'd find him here, so… well, here we are."

The bartender grinned. "Let me guess: Smart sent you, didn't he?"

It was Nova's turn to raise his eyebrows. "Looks like we're in the right place, after all."

The man tossed his cloth over his shoulder. "I'll level with you, boys. I'm Jay."

Nova grinned. "I thought so."

Jay's expression revealed surprise. "Sharp, for a boy your age."

He shrugged. "I had a feeling, that's all. All that stopped me from saying it right out was that you were working behind the counter. I thought you were the dockmaster?"

The man nodded. "That's right, but I work in here to help out the owner sometimes. Life isn't that busy as a dockmaster around here. Besides," he added, leaning on the counter, "it's a better spot to deal with business, if you know what I mean."

Iris grinned. "Easier to find you that way, anyway."

"That's exactly what I mean." He stood back up, wiping his forehead. "Hot out today. You boys sure you don't want anything to drink? Got some nice ale straight from Nesre Primus, everyone around here seems to love it."

"Why not?" said Nova. "You only live once."

"If you're lucky," Jay agreed, pouring glasses of ale for the boys and for himself. He then walked around the counter and sat on the stool next to Nova. "So, I take it you two are on the bottom rung."

Iris nodded. "Supply runs. Do you have anything for us?"

Jay scratched his stubble. "I've got someone doing the food shipments from Las Vegas already, but our stocks of weapons and equipment is getting a little low." He leaned one muscular arm on the counter. "Tell you what. You boys run off to Menin in the Lesten system and find the outfitters' market. When you get there, head to the back corner and drop my name. You might have to do some haggling over the price, but he knows exactly what we need, so no worries there. Bring that back and there'll be a 15,000-credit chip in it for each of you."

Nova's eyes widened. "15,000 credits?"

"Plus whatever's left over from your shopping spree. You'll need about ten tons of room in your cargo bay, mind. What kind of ship have you got?"

Nova thought about dropping the name "Midnight Pearl," but thought better of it. "Starbridge. Class C, I think. Top speed's faster than your average racing Viper."

Jay whistled. "Nice set of jets there. All right, then. Here's a chip for ten thousand, he shouldn't need more than that. If he does, work him down to a reasonable price."

"Will do," Nova said, downing his glass and rising to his feet. Iris did the same, and with a goodbye wave to Jay, they headed back out of the bar and back to their ship.

Back on the bridge, Nova brought the galactic map up on the control panel, searching for the target system. "Lesten... Lesten..."

"There it is," said Iris, pointing.

Nova grinned. "Couldn't get any easier, could it? That's only a few jumps away, and short ones at that. I bet we're back in half a week."

"Good," said Iris, bubbling with excitement. "Let's get going already!"

Nova laughed, activating the _Pearl_'s engines. The ship soon lifted off from the abnormally tropical spacedock, clearing the canopy of the surrounding trees and blasting away from the planet's surface.

From the captain's seat on the bridge of a nearby docked Valkyrie freighter, a pair of cat-like eyes watched the Starbridge's ascent to the atmosphere with interest. A cold smile spread across a full pair of blood red lips. A slender hand brushed stray locks of stunning blonde hair from her face.

She watched them until they disappeared from view, and her strong arms crossed in front of her chest. She was satisfied. It had taken them some time to track them down, but in her line of work, she knew nothing was impossible.

It was just a matter of waiting for the right time to act.

A soft chuckle escaped her lips as she activated her ship's comlink.

* * *

**September 24th, 1177 NC, 6:17 p.m. **The month had passed easily and efficiently enough for the Rebellion's newest recruits. Thanks to the _Midnight Pearl_'s better-than-average speed, Nova and Iris quickly earned Jay's respect, and made themselves regulars at the little tavern near the spaceport. More often than not, the evenings of their return from their latest equipment run would find them laughing it up with the dockmaster over glasses of ice cold ale.

The first run had been somewhat tricky. They had arrived in the Lesten system to find that Menin was little more than a large asteroid with a bustling commercial centre running from inside of it. Menin's contributions to the economic standing of the system had earned it a place in the Federation's good books, and as a result the huge market area was left alone to keep pulling in the profits.

It was consequently difficult to find the man Jay had spoken of. The back corner had been more heavily populated than either Nova or Iris had expected, and it took them the better part of an hour to find someone who responded appropriately to the mention of Jay's name. Nova had taken on the role of negotiator, but it had taken a fair amount of effort to wrangle a reasonable price for the ten tons of equipment.

After the first run, though, it steadily became easier to make an efficient run between Lesten and Aldebaran. They settled into a pattern wherein Iris would prepare the _Pearl _to carry the shipment while Nova would head back to the increasingly familiar area of the market to discreetly settle the deal. After the third run, Nova even managed to knock the price far enough down to keep some of the ten thousand Jay would give him for the job. That, coupled with the fifteen thousand they each earned per run, quickly added up to a sizeable cash flow.

Their most recent run – their eighth since they started – had seen them to Lesten and back within three days, a new record. In keeping with their customary procedure, the boys headed into the little bar on Merrol to wait for Jay and their payment, and Nova took the opportunity to indulge in another ritual he'd started in the past few weeks.

"Come on," he said, nudging Iris with his elbow. "Go for it!"

Iris glared at him, and then glanced shyly over his shoulder toward the girl sitting at a booth nearby. She and some other regulars at the bar had been there for only a few minutes, but they were already laughing raucously at stories of their escapades.

Iris looked back to Nova. "I can't," he said. "I don't even know if she'd... you know..."

"Like you?" Nova laughed. "She looks your way every time we're in here!"

"Bullshit."

"No word of a lie!" Nova insisted. "All you have to do is--"

He cut himself off suddenly, and grinned, turning back to the bar. Iris was about to ask what was up when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to see who it was, and nearly fell of his stool.

"Hi," the girl said, fiddling with her long, dark brown hair. "I've seen you around here a lot lately. My name's Jia."

It took Iris several moments to find his voice. "I'm... I'm Iris," he finally squeaked out, smiling nervously.

Nova watched discreetly for several seconds as Jia took the seat next to Iris' own, and laughed quietly at his friend's uncharacteristic clumsiness. Then he saw Jay enter the bar, and waved him over.

The dockmaster approached with a grin. "I thought I saw the _Pearl _outside. Didn't think you'd be back so soon."

"When have we ever been late?" Nova said with a grin.

"When have you ever been early?" Jay countered. "I've got to hand it to you, though. Eight successful equipment runs in one month ain't bad."

He walked behind the bar and rummaged underneath the countertop, emerging a few seconds later with two credit chips. He began to offer one to Iris, but stopped when he noticed Jia. Grinning, he passed both to Nova. "Finally worked up the guts, did he?"

Nova shook his head. "She did, actually. About time, too." He turned the chip over in his hand, and then glanced back at Jay. "Any word from Smart?"

Jay leaned in, but shook his head. "Nothing yet. Probably has his hands tied with Rebel business."

Nova looked crestfallen. "So, nothing in the wind yet..."

Jay paused, and then patted the boy's shoulder. "Hey, don't get so down. It's still early. You've gotten nothing but glowing reviews from me. I'm sure you'll get into the thick of it soon enough."

Nova wasn't so certain, but he nodded anyway. "Yeah... I'm going out for some air." He stood, indicated to Iris where he was going, and walked out the door, leaning on the exterior wall beside it.

He flipped his credit chip absent-mindedly, staring at the sinking sun. The Merrol spaceport had been a comfortable place to call home for the last month. He liked the scenery, and he and Jay had become fast friends. But somehow, after a month on the bottom rung, he wondered if anything more would come of it.

He thought about what Jay had said the first time he brought it up, two weeks previously. "No worries," he'd said reassuringly. "Keep working at it and you'll be up there with the best of them in no time."

Nova found that hard to believe. Iris seemed happy enough - probably happier now that he was talking to Jia. But Nova had envisioned something greater, and he was getting impatient. Sure, some pilots might have spent months on the bottom rung, but what did Nova have to prove? Smart had seen them fly, seen them fight. He'd been making these equipment runs more and more efficiently. What was left for him to do?

He shook his head. Maybe his quick rise to the top of the Hot List had given him delusions of grandeur.

He finally sighed, put the credit chip in his pocket and prepared to head back into the bar.

Then he stopped suddenly. Something to his left had caught the corner of his eye. It had been a slight movement, nothing more, but his instincts were telling him there was something unusual about it. His hand drifted to his waistband, beneath which was concealed his hand-blaster. He eyed the darkness warily.

Another flash of movement. And he recognized this one.

He ducked out of the way just barely in time to dodge the dart that flew dangerously close to his neck. He rolled with his momentum to the side, coming up on his knees, hand-blaster at the ready. He fired two shots in the direction of the dart-gun, and there was a cry as a uniformed Federation officer collapsed from the bushes.

For a moment, Nova stared incredulously. _The Feds are here?!_

In a moment he realized his mistake and pulled himself from his distracted state, but he was far too late; milliseconds later, he felt a sharp pain in the side of his neck. He fell forward, trying to hold himself up with his left hand, and discarding his hand-blaster and pulling the dart out with his right. He stared at it, but his eyes grew bleary. He tried to stand, but stumbled and fell backwards.

The sky was darkening quickly, but he could make out blurry shadows standing over him. Blue shadows. More Fed officers. He tried to speak, but no words escaped his lips.

The last thing he heard was a woman's sinister laugh, and then everything went black.


	10. Chapter 10: New England

**NOVA**

**Chapter 10: New England **

* * *

**September 27th, 1177 NC, 11:32 a.m. **Nova's head was pounding. He attempted to open his eyes, but it only worsened the pain. He could hear nothing around him, only the sound of his ragged breathing. Where was he? How long had he been unconscious? 

He then realized that his arms and legs were bound. He tried to move his wrists and ankles, but they were tightly secured. He tried opening his eyes once more, and willed the pain away so that he could look around. He was securely bound to a small metal chair in the middle of an otherwise empty room. A lone, faint light hung from the ceiling above. From what Nova could tell, the walls were constructed from the same cold steel as the rest of modern civilization. There were no windows.

He could be anywhere.

He tried to remember what had happened. He and Iris returned from the equipment run from Lesten and went into the bar… he spoke to Jay… he went outside for some air… what had happened after that?

He shook his head, trying to clear it. Then he remembered.

His head shot up like the snap of a whip as the recollection hit him fiercely. The Feds! The Feds had found him on Merrol! He winced and sat back as he remembered the pain of the dart in his neck, and tried to see through the fog that had clouded his vision. He remembered seeing the uniformed officers standing over him. And he remembered the sinister chuckle…

He sat bolt upright. The chuckle. The woman's laugh. One of the Fed officers standing over him had been a woman. Why was that so important? Why was Nova's gut trying to tell him something about that woman? Now that he thought about it, she had looked familiar, but he couldn't begin to understand why.

He closed his eyes again, trying to think. First he scolded himself for allowing himself to be taken so easily. He'd been distracted. He'd seen the blue uniform of a Fed and he'd frozen. He cursed aloud, but very quietly. He knew better than that. He learned long ago not to let his guard down.

Then he thought about the _Midnight Pearl_. Where was it now? Did the Feds take it? He cursed again. If they had, they'd know all about the Rebels in the Koria system by now just by analyzing the logs or the IFF. He sighed. Only a month in service, and he'd been responsible for the undoing of the Rebellion.

He shook his head again, more violently this time. There was no sense jumping to conclusions. His next priority was finding a way out of his predicament, although it didn't seem as if there were many options. He looked around again, and this time he saw a door in the wall behind him. It was barely visible, much like the galley door aboard the _Pearl_, but it was there.

He glanced around again. From the looks of it, that door was his only way out. He'd have to make use of it when he got the chance. He wiggled his wrists around inside his bindings. They were made of a tough, durable metal, which meant he had no chance of getting out of them without the key.

All right, so he'd have to find another way.

Before he could think of another contingency plan, however, he heard footsteps on the other side of the steel door behind him. He thought of faking unconsciousness, but as he glanced around, he saw a small red light blinking in the corner on the ceiling. _Motion detectors,_ he thought. Pretending to be asleep would serve little purpose now. It figured they'd be watching his movements.

He listened to the hiss of the door sliding open, and then the footsteps continued into the bleak room. Nova could tell before he saw them that there were two Fed patrol officers and one more person, whose boots made the characteristic clicking sound of high heels - the woman. The first two walked around in front of him, one of whom pulled his head back forcibly while the other covered his eyes with a blindfold.

"Ow!" Nova cried involuntarily as he felt a clump of his hair ripped from his skull.

"You think that hurts?" came the cool, collected voice of the woman. "You have no idea what we have in store for you."

Nova gritted his teeth to hold back the flurry of insults he would otherwise have hurled at her. He knew it wouldn't do much good. Instead, he took a deep breath and said, "what are you charging me with?"

The woman laughed. "Oh, I'd think a boy as smart as you seem to be would already know the answer to that. In fact, I can just see your mind working with a fair number of possible answers, trying to figure out which one is right."

Nova heard her footsteps walking around his chair until they stopped just in front of him. "I know who you are, Nova Rogue. You're one of the most infamous juvenile prostitutes in this sector. If it weren't for the President's incompetence, I'd be surprised you and your ring of whores didn't come to our attention sooner. We had to pull quite a few strings to find you, Nova... and slit a few throats, I might add. And your escape from the _Nelson_, although futile, certainly was daring."

Nova laughed. "Futile? You thought I was dead. Why else would it have taken so long to find me?"

"Oh, we found _you _some time ago, passing through the Aldebaran system. A stroke of luck, I'll admit, but we've been aware of your whereabouts for the last month. And now that we have you, it's time for you to give us what we really want."

Nova was slightly taken aback at that. She couldn't be talking about the Rebels; if she were looking for them, she'd have gone through the ship's logs and she'd know already where to find them. She was after something else. "And what's that?"

She chuckled. "Oh, come now, Nova. Do I really need to explain every detail to you? There were two prisoners aboard the _Nelson_, both of whom escaped from the explosion. One of them was a telepath. Now that we have you safely in custody, you're going to tell us where he is."

Nova fought hard to maintain his composure. Deric. They were looking for Deric. And that could only mean...

"You don't work for the Federation, do you?" he said.

The woman was silent for a moment. "In a manner of speaking."

Nova laughed. "I know who you work for: the Bureau of Internal Investigation. That's it, isn't it? You're after Deric's telepathic abilities."

"As far as you're concerned," she said icily, "the both of you are dangerous juvenile criminals who are to be brought to justice."

"Bullshit," spat Nova. "I know about you. I know how you use telepaths for your own purposes. Want to make Deric just another slave, is that it?"

The next thing he felt was intense pain as a gloved hand struck the side of his face. He cried out, tasting blood.

The woman paused a moment, letting the pain and the harsh reality sink in before continuing. "You should watch your tongue, Nova. You'll need it to tell me what I want to know. And trust me, you will, one way or another." She walked around the chair again. "You know, you can make it easier on yourself. Tell me right now where your telepathic friend is, and I may spare you the indignity of torture and throw you straight into the brig without further questioning."

Nova was trembling with anger. "I don't know where he is," he lied, "and even if I did, you'd be the last person I'd tell."

She sighed. "You know, I wonder why people always say that. They could make it all so much less painful if they were to co-operate." He heard her footsteps proceeding to the door as she spoke. "I'll be back in a few hours, Nova. Perhaps by then you'll be a little more willing to give me the information I want."

He heard the door slide shut. Then one of the remaining officers pulled the blindfold roughly from his head, and he blinked, the lingering pain of the tightly tied cloth making him wince. Then the door slid open again, and both guards left, leaving Nova wondering what was going on. He glanced around, making sure he wasn't mistaken, that there were no longer any guards in the room with him.

Then he looked around again. Unless his eyes were playing tricks on him, the solitary light in the room had just gotten brighter. He felt sweat begin to bead on his forehead, and realized that the temperature had gone up as well. He looked at the light dangling above him, and found he had to squint at it. Every second that passed, the light slowly grew brighter and brighter, and with it the room grew hotter and hotter. And with a feeling of deep dread, Nova realized what kind of chamber this was.

It wasn't long before he felt the increasing heat of his bindings and the metal chair upon which he was sitting. The light was so bright now that he couldn't look at it. He felt the heat of the floor through his shoes, and gritted his teeth as the shackles bound to his wrists and ankles began to burn. He could feel the hot light on his exposed arms, face and neck. He bent his head, hoping that his hair would protect him somewhat from the harsh light, but it was to no avail; the light only beamed back at him from the shiny steel of the floor.

He was sweating profusely now, air escaping his lungs in short, raspy breaths as he felt his throat dry. And still the room grew hotter. His bindings were burning so fiercely now that he was hard pressed not to scream in agony. He arched away from the hot chair as much as possible, but it had little effect as the heat rose from its surface, attacking the backs of his legs and the sweaty skin beneath his shirt. Each time he turned to look at his exposed arms, squinting through the fierce light, they had grown redder and redder.

He began to scream.

Suddenly the harsh light dimmed. He began to relax as he felt the temperature become bearable once again, and the metal on his ankles and wrists began to cool. He slumped back, dizzy from the ordeal, sweat escaping from every pore.

He looked himself over. Every exposed part of his body was a deep red. He could feel blisters on his wrists and ankles, and on his legs and arms where they had been touching the chair. His feet felt as if they, too, had blistered through the bottoms of his shoes. Tears mingled with the sweat on his face.

After a few minutes, the door slid open once more, and the two guards walked back into the room. One of them stood aloof, his arms crossed. The other stared down at Nova's weak, burnt form. "Well, boy?" he said. "Feel talkative yet?"

Shuddering, Nova looked up at him. "K-kiss my ass," he said through bared teeth.

"Have it your way." He signaled to the other officer, who drew a large knife from his belt. Before Nova could register what was going on, the guard had him by the shirt collar. He roughly stuck the knife into the collar and sliced the fabric all the way down to the bottom. He made similar cuts between his neck and the ends of his sleeves. Nova felt small spots where he'd been lightly cut, felt blood trickling down them, but he wasn't paying attention. He kept his composure, but internally felt terrified as the guard removed the shreds of shirt, and proceeded to cut away his shorts and his underwear as well, discarding the remaining shreds of cloth.

Smirking, the two guards walked back to the door, which slid open obligingly, and away from Nova's naked, vulnerable form. He glared at them through the lingering tears in his eyes as they left, dreading the long, brutal hours to come.

The light grew brighter once again, and his screams fell on deaf ears.

* * *

**September 27th, 1177 NC, 1:44 p.m. **The headquarters of the Bureau of Internal Investigation was hardly the most lavish of places on the small planet of New England, at the heart of the Wolf 359 system. Everything about it was very utilitarian and, the blonde woman secretly thought, quite tasteless. She walked down the hallway that led to her office, her stride carrying an air of frustration with it.

It had been two hours since Nova's torture had begun, with no results to speak of beyond frequent insults and perhaps one or two third-degree burns. She hadn't yet returned to the chamber, but according to what she had gathered from her half-hourly updates on the situation, there was very little progress being made. Far too little. She had been in charge of the Bureau for several years, and not once had she encountered anyone with the resolve that this boy seemed to have. Either he knew nothing, or he knew more than she suspected he did, or he simply had nothing to lose.

She irritably brushed a few stray locks of her hair away from her face, looking forward to a steaming cup of coffee in her office.

The door slid open for her as she approached, and she made a beeline for the coffee synth, activating it and watching with tamed delight as the cup filled, drenching her nostrils with the sweet aroma. When it finished filling, she carefully lifted the mug, savouring the aroma as she walked across to her desk. She placed the cup down, sitting in her chair and leaning back, grateful for the first opportunity she'd had all day to sit down and relax, and then brought the mug of coffee to her lips to take a sip.

And then the door chimed.

She cursed out loud, putting the cup down and running a hand through her hair. "Come in," she said, her voice harsher than she had intended.

The door slid open, and one of her operatives walked through it, stroking his beard. "Commander Krane. I'm sorry if I interrupted anything."

She sighed. "Forget it, Donovan. Are we making progress across the Auroran border?"

Donovan pursed his lips. "Somewhat. The Moash House has agreed to negotiate with us, although their demands aren't quite what we had in mind."

"What does that mean?"

He hesitated. "They have agreed to help us dominate the other four Houses and pledge their fleets to our cause following our success, but in return they are demanding sole authority over all of Auroran space, and a much more limited Bureau and Federation presence within it than we had originally hoped."

"Damn." Krane tapped her fingers on the desk, taking a sip from her coffee but feeling less satisfied than she otherwise would have. "Keep negotiations open, but keep them quiet. I don't want that busybody President of ours getting wind of this."

"Yes, ma'am."

She took another sip, calming herself down. "Right. How about the Rebels?"

Donovan shook his head. "Nothing. Our best lead so far came from one of our agents in the Vega system, but he was killed before he could report his findings."

"Get another one out there. If there's Rebel activity on Las Vegas, I want to know about it." She clasped her hands. "Which brings us to...?"

He shifted uncomfortably. "I have the latest report on the prisoner, Commander."

Krane rolled her eyes. "Well, don't keep me in such suspense, Donovan. I'm just _riveted _to hear about our progress."

"None yet, ma'am. The kid's a steel trap."

"No," she replied, "he's a kid _in _a steel trap. Why the hell haven't we cracked him yet?"

"We did get something out of him," he said, and she perked up. "We don't think it's genuine, though. He made a brief reference to the telepath being dead. We've stopped the interrogation for now, and we await your orders."

She thought for a minute. "Well, of course the kid isn't dead. But maybe he's starting to break." She drained her mug of coffee and stood. "I'll go and talk to him myself. Maybe now he'll be a little more co-operative."

"Yes, ma'am."

Both he and Commander Krane left the office. The door slid shut behind them.

* * *

**September 27th, 1177 NC, 2:00 p.m. **Nova gasped for air in the now-dim chamber. He had blisters across his body. His skin was red and peeling. He wanted to pass out from the intensity of the heat, but found that he couldn't. He didn't know why. He sat with his eyes closed, willing away the pain that had been flooding through his body for the past... he didn't know how much time had gone by. He found that he didn't care. His breath was raspy and his throat was so dry it felt almost as if it, too, was peeling.

The interrogation had been brutal, but Nova hadn't expected any less from slave-driving cowards. He'd heard a lot about the Bureau of Internal Investigation during his years with Cosmo, but nothing that could have painted a picture of what they were really like. The story he'd heard from Deric about their enslavement of telepaths was certainly disturbing, but he suspected they were capable of far worse. He wasn't sure he wanted to know everything they had done, but somehow that didn't seem very important right then. It was somewhat less of a priority than survival.

He didn't think they'd kill him, though. Not yet. He'd told them Deric was dead, but he knew they wouldn't believe him. But he didn't know what else to do. He felt helpless, sitting here in this torture chamber, undoubtedly awaiting yet another bout of unbearable heat, or else a lifetime prison sentence, probably on a remote colony somewhere south of the Auroran border. Or worse. But he knew he'd have to play it by ear. If they wanted to torture him some more, so be it.

He found himself wondering how serious he was about that.

He looked down at his ankle bindings. Beneath them the skin was blistered and throbbing. At one point he remembered having seen them begin to glow orange in the heat. They were back to their silver, indifferent colour now, but he now didn't care what they looked like, what the pain felt like. He felt numb to it all now, and just waited for the next one to strike.

As if on cue, the door slid open. To his surprise, when the familiar boots walked into the room, he felt his hair pulled back and the blindfold tied once more across his eyes. Sure enough, he soon heard the clicking of the woman's high heels approaching the chamber. He chuckled to himself. He hadn't been keeping track of time, but he could now safely assume that he'd lasted a couple of hours - not bad, considering the circumstances. Suddenly, he felt much better.

The high heels walked around the chair again, as they had done before. Despite his lack of clothing, Nova didn't feel any more intimidated than he had last time. If anything, he felt more confident, now that he'd withstood everything they had thrown at him.

"Well, Nova, it appears you're more resilient than we thought you were." She chuckled softly. "Do you really think this is going to change anything?"

"I'm not trying to," Nova replied, his voice raspy. "You're still no closer to finding him than you were before. Otherwise, I'd be dead by now."

"Don't tempt me," the woman said, her amusement gone. "It really doesn't matter how much you do or do not choose to tell us. We have ships all over Federation territory on the hunt for him. We will find him with or without your help. You'll just stop prolonging the inevitable and perhaps save yourself some more suffering. So what will it be, Nova?" She leaned in close, close enough for him to smell the coffee on her breath. "Where is your telepathic friend?"

If his throat hadn't been so dry, Nova would have spit in her face.

After a moment of his silence, the woman stood again and sighed. "You know, you're perhaps the most stubborn prisoner I've ever had in this chamber. Most of them don't even last an hour. That either makes you very brave, or very stupid."

"Neither," said Nova. "I just enjoy pissing you off."

Just as it had done a few hours before, the gloved hand struck the side of his face. His cheek throbbed, but he felt an irresistible satisfaction at having touched the right nerve. Her voice was a harsh whisper. "Enjoy it while you can, Nova. After what I've got in store for you, you'll wish you were in Hell."

Nova didn't get a chance to respond before the first tremor. It came unexpectedly and shook the room violently. Within moments, there were Fed officers barging through the door. "Commander Krane!" said one of them. "We're under attack!"

Krane sounded furious. "What!? By whom?"

"They're Rebels!"

Nova heard rapid footsteps as Krane rounded his chair and began barking orders at the man who had spoken. "Put this station on red alert! I want all troops on duty to meet them!"

He heard another soldier run in. "It's no use, Commander! They've come in large numbers, and the nearest reinforcements aren't even in the system!"

"How did they get past the main fleet?! What happened to the orbital defence grid?"

"Most of the fleet was called to Earth on priority. We only had one Carrier left in the system!"

"What?!" Krane sounded incensed. "Who authorized that?"

"Lieutenant Commander Donovan, ma'am!"

There was a long moment of silence before the station shook again, and Krane snapped back to attention. "All right, get to your battle stations, all of you, and tell security to detain Donovan! If this station falls into enemy hands, it'll be your hides!"

Nova heard the footsteps again, but then something else happened, and he felt his chair knocked over and he grunted as his shoulder made unwelcome contact with the floor. The explosion had happened behind him, right near the door, and there was one less pair of boots resonating across the sturdy metal floor.

Then there were more footsteps, and hand-blaster fire. Instinctively Nova shrank, becoming as small a target as he could. He could hear grunts and cries as men of both the Bureau and the Rebellion fell. He wished he could cover his ears against the invading noise. The body of what he assumed to be a Bureau soldier fell nearby, and the odour of singed flesh filled his nostrils.

Suddenly there was a loud bang, and a hissing sound filled the room. He began to cough; someone had thrown a smoke bomb. Bootsteps filled the room, but he could no longer hear Krane's distinctive high heels. She had escaped.

"Hold fire!" called one voice, and the sounds of the hand-blasters faded. The room was still filled with smoke, but Nova had gotten over his coughing fit, and the silence in the room was complete save for the sounds of the soldiers' boots as they entered the small chamber.

He could hear them talking. "Where is he?"

"I can't see a damn thing in this smoke!"

"Sir, Krane seems to have escaped."

"How? We were all in the hallway, she couldn't have snuck past us!"

"Nova!"

"Where? Where is he?"

"Over here, I found him!"

Soon, Nova felt his chair pulled roughly to a standing position, and then felt the bindings on his arms and legs unfastened. Then the blindfold came off, and he found himself staring into the face of none other than Connelly himself, dressed in a Bureau uniform.

His features contorted. "You! You work for the Bureau? You slimy piece of—"

But then he saw the other soldiers around him in their green Rebel outfits, and the anger left his face as comprehension dawned on him. Then he looked back to Connelly, and said, "never mind. I'm sorry."

Connelly shook his head. "Forget it. Can you stand?"

He nodded, and with some effort rose to a standing position. Then he realized he didn't have any clothes on, and he moved to cover himself. "I, um… they cut off my—"

"We know. Here," said one of the soldiers nearby, thrusting a green uniform at him. He stared at it for a second before taking it. A green Rebel uniform. "But this… it's a…"

"It was all we could find aboard the _Brightman_," said Connelly, "so it'll have to do. But after what you just put up with for the last two hours, you've earned it. Now come on, we have to leave the system before other Federation reinforcements get here."

Nova nodded and dressed quickly. They started cautiously out into the hallway. "But they'll follow you! You shouldn't have come for me. You've been exposed, and once you leave the system—"

"We've already thought of that," said Connelly, edging carefully around a corner and passing back a hand-blaster for the boy to use. "Don't get your ego too inflated, kid – we've been planning this assault for the past month. Your kidnapping was the perfect distraction. We jammed their transmissions before we got here. When we leave, we'll mask our hyperspace trail on their frequency, and everything here that suggests the Rebels ever crossed the doorstep will be vaporized."

Nova glanced around the next corner, nodding admiringly. "I'm impressed."

"You damn well should be."

They rounded another corner. Nova's burnt skin was protesting every step but he didn't complain. He kept his senses as alert as possible.

And then a hand-blaster bolt nearly fried its way through his skull.

He leapt back, and the other soldiers took up positions along the sides of the corridor as the firefight ensued. Connelly began to fire blind, and Nova heard a few cries from down the hall. He spotted a blue uniform advancing on them, and took aim. The soldier fell silently to the floor.

It was beginning to get warmer as the blaster bolts zipped through the air. Nova pushed some sweat-soaked bangs away from his forehead as the group of Rebels began to advance. They were losing men on their side, too; three men had fallen to the Bureau officers. But the enemy had lost at least five, and counting.

And then Connelly edged closer to Nova. "I think we've been going the wrong way!"

"What makes you say that?"

Connelly pointed farther down the hall, though it was getting more and more difficult to see through the steam and smoke of the blaster fire. "Look through that door – it's some kind of tank."

Nova's eyes widened. "You don't think that's a fuel tank, do you?"

The two shared a moment of dread before Connelly began to shout. "Wait! Hold your fire! Damn it, hold your fire!!"

But it was too late. A Rebel soldier fired into the steamy hallway, and then a concussive explosion resonated from the invisible spot where the bolt had made contact with a fuel reserve.

The blast consumed almost all of the remaining Bureau soldiers, and Connelly turned to bark orders, but the Rebels were already running. Nova followed them, silencing his body, which was screaming in pain from the effort. His blisters rubbed against the harsh material of the Rebel uniform, but he kept running, following the Rebels away from the blasts.

It wouldn't be long before the entire station would be engulfed in flame.

Nova felt the heat of the explosions at his back, and he put on an extra burst of speed, catching as well as he could up to the Rebels ahead of him. Two by two they burst out of the front door of the Bureau headquarters and out into the open air, the fire and blasts just seconds behind them.

When Nova looked up, he found himself staring into the muzzle of a hand-rifle held by a tall, dark-haired Bureau officer.

He immediately put up his hands in a gesture of surrender, a look of hatred passing across his face. Nearby, he saw Connelly and the other soldiers in the group doing the same thing, other Bureau officers pointing more hand-rifles at them.

And then he heard that cool, female voice. "Well, well, well…"

He could hear her footsteps on the grass behind the group of Bureau men. In the distance he could see a Valkyrie fighter and several Federation scout and assault ships.

And then he saw the woman herself, and he couldn't stop his jaw from dropping. The confident gait… the stunningly blonde hair… the deep blue eyes.

It was the woman from Kane's Lubritorium.

She laughed at the look of dawning recognition on his face. "Do I look familiar, Nova? I should. The amount of times you and I were in the same bar and didn't realize who the other was… simply amazing, isn't it? I suppose the jig is up now, but I don't really need to worry about that… not now that I have one of the Rebellion's commanding officers in my grasp."

She looked to Connelly, still dressed in his blue Bureau uniform. "So, Donovan… is that even your real name? A pity you didn't realize how many secrets I make a point of keeping to myself." She gestured to the group of men behind her. "What do you think of our newest technological advancement? I call it a conveyor. These men were on the other side of New England only ten minutes ago. And now, you see, you've walked into my little safety net."

She eyed the still-burning building. "You know, I never really liked that old place anyway. And it was worth sacrificing it for this little piece of juicy gossip. Nova Rogue is working for the Rebellion nowadays, is that it? And oh… that must mean that those gentlemen on Merrol you've been consorting with are in on it too! My, my. Looks like your little campaign is as good as over.

"But I must say," she continued, "I am impressed with your armaments. Rebellion-adapted Federation Destroyers… Starbridge freighters… Valkyries. You've done an impressive job there."

Nova bit his lip to keep the tiny bit of mirth he'd just felt concealed. She didn't know about their infiltration into Sigma Shipyards.

But that seemed little consolation at the moment.

Krane strode over to Connelly, holding a small communicator. "All right, then. Tell the fleet you've got in orbit to land and disembark with their hands in the air or you and every man you've got here will be executed for treason."

Connelly snorted. "Do you really think that'll stop them? We're a security risk now. I bet there's a commander up there giving an aerial bombardment order as we speak."

Krane laughed. "Oh, you can't fool me. The Rebels wouldn't give up the information you've managed to gather that easily. And besides, the residual weapons signatures would lead the Federation to them easily. Now, do as you're told, 'Donovan'."

Nova watched him, his masked anxiety mounting by the moment. He found himself praying that the Destroyers above would start a planetary bombardment. He unconsciously bit his lip as Connelly began to reach for the communicator.

And then, before his eyes, everything turned white. He cried out, believing for a moment that there actually had been a bombardment. The last thing he heard was a high-pitched whistling sound, and then shouts and cries and blaster fire, and then the world re-materialized before him, and he found himself staring into the eyes of none other than Iris.

"Iris!" He glanced around himself. "Where the hell are we? What happened? What's going on?"

Iris couldn't hold back a grin. "We're in the operations room for the Bureau's new conveyor. Not bad, huh?"

Nova found himself momentarily speechless. And then, when he finally found his voice, all he could manage was, "what the fuck is going on here?"

Iris grinned again, turning back to the console and pressing some buttons. "Well, Connelly has apparently been a plant in the Bureau for over a year. When the Fed soldiers brought you here, Smart knew about it right away. So we launched a fake assault on the headquarters to get you out. But this," he said, indicating the console, "is the real beauty of the plan. Right now, there are sixty Rebel soldiers where you were just standing."

Nova still couldn't quite process it all. "But… but how did you get in on this?"

Iris shrugged. "We have one of the fastest ships in the Rebel fleet, and you know I'm good with codes. So, we tried out Smart's new design for an experimental cloaking device and got the _Pearl_ in undetected. I've blocked out Krane's remote access, and when we leave, we'll be taking this conveyor system with us."

By now, Nova was grinning. But then Iris turned around again and got a good look at his friend, his expression changing dramatically. "Nova, oh my God… what did they do to you?"

He lightly touched Nova's arm, and Nova winced. "It hurts, but I'll be all right."

Iris nodded. "My job was to get you out and get those soldiers in. Come on, the _Pearl_'s just outside."

They hurried out of what turned out to be a small, stand-alone room in the middle of a stand of trees and tall grass. In the distance he could see smoke rising from what must have been the engulfed Bureau headquarters. He hurried as quickly as he could through the grass and saw the white sheen of his Starbridge ship in the distance. It wasn't long before they'd covered the distance and were running up the boarding ramp.

Nova hurried down the corridor and settled into his chair. "I thought they took the _Pearl _when they got me!" he said to Iris, who soon sat down next to him.

Iris shook his head. "We don't know why they left it. Hurry, hit the power."

Nova did as he was told, activating the ship and powering up the Thorium engines. Within minutes, the craft was beginning to rise, and began to drift across the landscape. Nova looked again, noting with some satisfaction that the Bureau was obviously losing the skirmish on the ground.

And then he saw something else. "Iris, look! Krane!"

He looked. Krane was making a break for the Valkyrie vessel some distance away. She was already boarding, and soon the ship began to lift away and the engines began to fire.

Iris checked the IFF. "It's reading as the _Prodigal Son_. She's powering shields and weapons!"

"I'm on it!" said Nova, charting a pursuit course. They followed the_Prodigal Son _away from the surface of the planet and into the atmosphere. Soon, they were breaking out into deep, black space.

Nova glanced at Iris. "Hit the blasters before she gets far enough away to go to hyperspace! We can't afford to lose her!"

Iris obeyed, and blaster fire began to spray from the nose of the _Midnight Pearl_. Nova watched as it splattered against the _Prodigal Son_'s shields, and the Valkyrie began to take evasive manoeuvres. "Stay on her," said Nova. "If we can disable her ship, the rest of the fleet can get her into custody."

No sooner had the words escaped his lips than there was a beeping sound from the console. Iris looked. "Nova, I've got two Fed scout ships closing fast!"

"Shit!" Nova began his own set of evasive manoeuvres. "She must have gotten a message to the surface. I thought Connelly said they jammed communications!"

"Only inter-system ones!" said Iris. "We didn't think of something like this happening!"

The blaster bolts began to hit them with full force, and they felt the pummel of IR missiles. Nova glanced at the shields: eighty-one percent. "Iris, keep firing at that Valkyrie! If we can get her shields down we might be able to take her hyperdrive offline!"

For his part, he was trying to stay on the _Prodigal Son_ while still dodging this way and that to avoid the scout ships. He hit the com panel and opened a channel to the Rebel fleet. "Attention all Rebel vessels! This is the _Midnight Pearl_! We're attempting to detain the _Prodigal Son _but we're under attack! Requesting backup!"

"_Prodigal Son _shields down to thirty-six percent!" yelled Iris. "She's powering up the hyperdrive!"

The com panel flashed, and Nova tapped it, staying on his manoeuvres. Shields were now down to fifty-eight percent. "_Midnight Pearl_, this is the _Brightman_. Two fighters have been dispatched to your co-ordinates. Hold tight."

If he'd had time, he'd have sent a thank-you.

Iris was still firing. "_Prodigal Son_ shields down to seventeen percent and—"

He cut off abruptly, and Nova watched in dismay as the Valkyrie streaked into hyperspace, headed for the Sol system. He cursed under his breath.

But there were more important issues at hand.

He opened the com channel again. "_Brightman _and any nearby Rebel ships, this is the _Pearl_. The _Prodigal Son _has escaped. Returning to the system centre. Be prepared to back us up."

The reply came almost instantly. "Negative, _Pearl_. Sensors read your shields at less than twenty percent. Get your asses out of here!"

Nova looked; shields were critically low. There was no time to argue. Already he could see the green Rebel ships winking into view, and he punched the accelerator. "Bring the hyperdrive online. Re-route auxiliary power to shields! This is gonna be close!"

They were still getting hammered by their pursuers, and Iris watched the shield gauge warily as he brought the hyperdrive engines online. "Powering hyperdrive! Three minutes to hyperspace!"

"We may not last that long!" He swerved again, still trying to evade their pursuers. Then his eyes widened slightly. "The cloaking device! Can you activate it?"

Iris checked the panel. "There's not enough power to get it stabilized."

"Re-divert power from shields! If they can't find us, they can't kill us!"

"But Nova, what if—"

"_Just do it!_"

Iris reluctantly adjusted the power matrix. Immediately there was a whining hum as their shields dropped, and for several precious seconds, they were fully vulnerable. Sparks flew as the _Pearl_ took a repeated beating from the missiles flying at them from the scout ships. Nova glanced at Iris. "The sooner the better!"

Iris' hands were flying over the panel. "Hold tight! Full cloak in three… two… one…"

Nova heard another hum, this one very low. After a few seconds, he gently swerved off to the right, bringing the _Pearl _about in a broad half-moon. The two Fed scout ships sailed harmlessly past, no longer firing their missiles. Nova watched with a smug grin on his face as they flew around in confused circles before they both streaked off into hyperspace, heading toward the Kane Band.

Iris sighed, slumping back in his chair. "That was too close. Should we go back to the fleet?"

Nova glanced at the panel, shaking his head. "No. One minute till hyperspace engines come online… I say we get those shields back online and then get going. As fast as possible."

"What? Why?"

He pursed his lips. "We need to get to Merrol. The _Pearl _should be faster than anything the Feds have."

Iris frowned. "Merrol?"

"The Bureau knows about the Rebel staging point on Merrol. You can bet your ass the first thing Krane's going to do is to get reinforcements and make a beeline for it."

Iris began to tap a few of the controls, recharging the shields. "Do you think we'll make it?"

"We have to," Nova said, staring out into the darkness of space. "If we don't, there'll be nothing left to save."


End file.
